Better Than This
by Joei Write
Summary: At the peak of peace between the two packs, Humphrey and Kate's love couldn't be better. Shortly after, an unrecognizable train passes through Jasper, and is carrying a few unexpected passengers, two wolves. One of them is nice, but terribly shy, the other an arrogant jerk. A sudden string of murders hinders the peace, but the shy wolf might just able to help them stop the killer.
1. Touch

**Welcome to the first ever MyWayWriter's Alpha and Omega FanFiction! This is so thrilling to be doing, and I hope all of you feel the same. This story will follow the classic MyWayWriter's format, with Age being a main character, and finding his love interest Hayley, later on. Just a quick heads up, all the OC's, besides Age and Hayley are named after actual people in my life. So enjoy and happy reading to all!**

Better Than This

By MyWayWriter

Chapter 1

Touch

How could one describe the scene of the couples that sat under the romantic glaze of the moon that covered what was once two territories? The Eastern and the Western packs had literally been at each other's throats for as long as either side could remember. But that wasn't the only thing that went back as long as the packs could remember. The simple rule of Alphas and Omegas not being able to become mates had been anointed just a week before, and already there was a couple who couldn't have been more overjoyed that this rule was no longer in place. Kate sat at the top of Howling Rock with Humphrey very close, in fact, she was leaning into his chest, and he enjoyed having Kate lean on him like this. To Humphrey, this was a dream way beyond coming true. Kate, the wolf whom he had loved with his whole heart all his life, had finally told him that she loved him too.

"Kate…?" Humphrey said after taking all the feelings in. She inhaled and opened her eyes and looked at him. She was half falling asleep into Humphrey's embrace, so when he called her name, she had to return to the world outside. Humphrey's paw was wrapped around Kate as she awoke and only moved closer to him as she went to answer to his call.

"Yes Humphrey?" She said to him in the voice that Humphrey loved so much. Now that they were together, Humphrey thought Kate's voice was like that of an angel; so pure and soft, almost ethereal to his, untrained Omega ears.

"Have you even thought about what exactly happened? We woke up on a train, and are going to sleep in each other's arms. That…that just doesn't happen, does it?" Humphrey said to Kate.

Kate just smiled at Humphrey and gave him a nice lick across the face. "With you Humphrey, I've learned anything is possible. Just look at me, two weeks ago, I was a keen Alpha who believed in nothing but responsibility. In fact, I believed in it some much I…I almost didn't see that, you were trying to show me how much you cared about me. How much I'm sure, you've always cared, and…and I almost married someone I wasn't in love with. But, I guess in the back of my mind, my heart was telling me that…I loved you. And I wanted to be with you, not Garth."

"Kate, just accept it, you didn't care about responsibility anymore because I changed your view on life. When we went to Idaho, I saw it as a chance to show you the fun side of life, and you enjoyed it, right?" Humphrey said, gazing very deeply into her eyes.

"Yes Humphrey, you did. You're the most fun-loving, sweet, kind, cute Omega a girl like me could ask for." This warmed Humphrey's heart as Kate said this.

"So, will you be my Alpha Kate?" Humphrey asked.

"Yes…I will." Kate said.

"Forever?" Humphrey asked with a weak little smile.

"Yes Humphrey…forever."

(Over with another wolf couple)

Far away from the newly forever couple, two wolves were out in the forest completely alone and completely engulfed into one another. The male stood with his chest looming over the female's and they had their mouths locked together. The female was moaning loudly at the feeling her partner was giving to her, and the male was enjoying their make out session too. Once both of them needed some air, he pulled off of her lips and started licking her neck, this made her shiver, feeling his warm tongue on her cold, rough fur. The male could tell he was doing a good job because she rolled over onto her back and arched upwards, in an attempt to ease the feeling. The two knew they were far too young to mate, but that didn't stop them from having a good night together regardless. As the male continued to lick up and down her back and side she continued rolling around, her groans of delight telling him he was doing a good job. After he had touched every part of her body with his tongue, she got back on her back and they resumed kissing. They had been twirling around on the ground trying to make the best out of the feeling, and soon the female pulled away and told the male all her thoughts.

"Oh my gosh, I wish we could just mate already, the tension and the romance is just killing me. I don't know if I can wait any longer." She said. The male just sat upright and shook his head.

"Oh come on…you know if you were to conceive now, we'd both be in a lot of trouble. I'm willing to wait until mating season to mate with you if it means it won't kill you. After all, all wolves that have carried pups at your age don't exactly live to tell about. You know this right?" The male explained to his future mate.

"I know, I know…but, I can't help but think, listen to the conversation we're having. Just last week I didn't even know you existed, now we're talking about having pups the first chance we get. I wonder if that happens to anyone." The She-Wolf said. The male wasn't sure how to answer, but he was certain this night was probably going to end with someone becoming pregnant.

"Look, Hayley, I love you, you know I do. And you have no idea how dangerous it would be for us to mate now. To be completely honest, I really want to mate with you too, but I can't." Hayley's head fell in disappointment, "But then, love brought us here didn't it? So why wouldn't it help us now?" Her head shot up with big eyes and a smile. "After all, think about what it has already gotten us through together…"

(Flashback to a week earlier)

**(Right after the movie is over, gonna be told from everyone's perspective)**

Humphrey threw his head into the moonlight sky to sing his heart out to the heavens, and Kate just sat there and joined in with awe and amazement. Of all of Humphrey's qualities, his howl was the most perfect, he didn't have to be a hunk of bulky to get Kate's attention, instead, he had something even better. He had the biggest heart she'd ever seen on anyone. Humphrey finished his howl solo and then looked at Kate.

"How was that Kate?" He asked with cheer and satisfaction in his eyes.

"That was wonderful Humphrey, you really have a gift." Kate said, she then got very close to him and Humphrey began to lean in as well, their lips met, and for the moment they were in whatever wolf heaven is, when an 'aww' and a laugh startled them. They looked to see who it was, and it was Lily and her new mate, Garth.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kate! Did I…did I disturb you?" She said backing away.

"It's okay Lily." Kate said, her and Humphrey walking over to them. Lily came right back up and spoke again, much stronger than before.

"Okay, so Humphrey, you've already met Garth. But now that he's your brother-in-law perhaps you can spend more time together. To you know…get along?" Lily said trying to propose the idea.

"Yeah she's right, when I first met you, I was really…stubborn." Garth confessed. "Not to mention, rude, arrogant, confidence, and other bad qualities an Alpha shouldn't have." Garth said with a guilty smile.

"No worries bro, you're forgiven, how about tomorrow?" Garth listened to Humphrey and looked over to Lily for approval. She nodded her head, and Kate did the same to Humphrey.

"So Lily, when do you and Garth plan on becoming mates?" Kate asked her sister, Lily just blushed and wrapped her paws around Garth's right front leg and smiled at him.

"We already are…" she responded. Kate and Humphrey threw their heads back in surprise.

"You've mated with him already?" Humphrey said quietly. "What about Eve and Winston?"

"I knew fully well that Eve could hunt me down, but I love Lily and she wanted to, so how could I say no?" Garth explained. Kate just staggered back and then talked nervous and uncomfortably as she tried to walk away.

"Um…yeah, well, good for you…and um…well…good night." She said then sprinted away. Humphrey had no idea why she ran away but instead turned to the mated pair.

"She looks like she needs some help, okay, how about this; Garth, I'll see you tomorrow at the river, dawn, don't be late, good?" Humphrey asked.

"Good, see you then…bro." Garth said as he and Lily walked off. Humphrey smiled at the thought that Garth just called him bro, but he then remembered Kate had just randomly run off.

Humphrey went on a huge search to find her, but after looking around for a while and sniffing, he couldn't seem to locate her. Disappointed and sad, Humphrey went to sleep where he was, alone and cold.

When he awoke the next morning it was just before the sun rose over the horizon. Humphrey was satisfied with this and then walked to the river to meet Garth. As he came to the river, Garth was sitting there in anticipation.

"Morning Garth!" Humphrey yelled to him. Garth jumped at this.

"Whoa Humphrey, how did you do that? I didn't even hear you coming! You have a very light step, almost like an Alpha's step." Garth complimented him.

"Thanks, I used to tiptoe up to squirrels without them hearing me so I got a lot of practice. After a point I just started doing it naturally." Garth jaw was wide open; Humphrey had learned an Alpha skill from playing games? Garth shook the thought off because it seemed too outrageous to believe.

"Anyways, what do you wanna do fir…?" Garth was interrupted by Humphrey perking his ears up and yelling,

"Ooooh, the train is here!" He said and run off. Train? What train? Garth didn't hear a train. But it didn't matter, Garth picked up his pride and ran after Humphrey.

Once they got to the track the train had just started rolling by but Humphrey looked confused. "This isn't the train that normally goes through here." He said his head tilted. The train continued to roll by when the two saw a car with a massive dent in the side, and then they heard two wolves yell,

"One, two,…THREE!" They yelled them slammed their cages up against the dent, breaking it making a hole in the side of the cart and the two falling out and onto the ground. The impact broke the locks on the cages and one was barreling towards Humphrey. He quickly ran up to it and collided with it on his side. Garth looked at him funny, as to why he didn't just use his paws.

"Ah, that was quite a hit. Eh, it's okay; I'm Humphrey and this is my brother-in-law Garth. Who are you two?" Humphrey said rubbing his side.

The two new wolves got out of their cages and one looked somewhat shy, concealing back behind the other.

"Yo dog! What be up wit chu? I'm J-Dog, and this, this little tyke is my bro, Age." Humphrey's head shot back in confusion.

"Age?"

**So yeah the whole story is going to be one massive flashback and will return to the present at the end of the story. J-Dog is his nickname and Age is his little brother in case you missed that. They're clearly from a certain place, but that'll all be revealed in the next chapter. **


	2. Who Are You?

**So now that I'm done with "Family Bonds of a Different Kind", I can start with this story, I have a few chapter prewritten for your reading pleasure, so that's why a few will be out faster than others. Just a quick heads up, there will be a lemon later on in this story, but I'll warn you in case you wanna skip it. Also, Age in this story is taking on more of who I used to be as a kid, very, very shy.**

Better Than This

Chapter 2

Who Are You?

"Age?" Humphrey asked, having a strange feeling like he's heard that name before from somewhere.

"Yeah dog! I can't seem to remember how the guy got his name…but, hohoho, he's more shy than a squirrel in the Central Park Zoo. I swear, it's like the poor guy thinks he doesn't belong anywhere." J-Dog said to Humphrey, leaning in on his last statement about the squirrel and all.

"Wait, Central Park Zoo?" Garth asked in a voice that was confused, obvious if you had asked Humphrey at the time.

"Yup, you got it right yo…me and my 'lil bro here, are from the big apple, New York City bitches."

Age seemed like he was about to say something, but J-Dog started running his mouth again, he was clearly the talker of the two. "We had a…"

"J! Stop talking for just a minute please." Humphrey said stepping up. J-Dog stopped his blabbering and listened. "Let's go back to the head den around here, and then you can tell us all about where you came from and how you got here." Humphrey declared to the very talkative wolf.

"Fine, then I'll let dat be! Les go bro!" J-Dog said and scumpped off with Humphrey next to him. Garth could hear J-Dog start talking again telling Humphrey about some other story about Age while they were in New York's Zoo, but he noticed Age was still not moving from his spot. In fact, Garth observed that not only was he not moving, but his tail was tucked between his legs and he was shaking horribly.

"Uh…you need some help?" Age didn't answer and just kept shaking. "About you…um…I can…uh…" Garth kept trying to think of something to say, but no matter what, Age just shook and quivered on the spot. Soon enough Garth just came right out, "Fine, can you please just walk with me?" He asked, trying to hide his frustration. Age nodded very slightly and got up and moved like he was avoiding a mine field. He had a very staggered walk across the earth below, Garth felt terrible.

"Wow, he's unlike any wolf I've ever seen. Geez, not even Lily was that shy." He said to himself quietly and walked with him all the way back to the den.

When they arrived, Jasper as a whole was in full swing. The birds were singing, wolves everywhere were socializing, and of course, the Alphas were doing their responsibilities. Humphrey and Garth had to put up with J-Dog telling stories to them all the way back to the head Alpha den.

"And then, after that I said my first phrase. It was around when I was six or so weeks old. My mom thinks it was 'Yo! Gimme yo money!' but my dad thinks it was 'Imma tear you up this whole town!', eh, either way I was clearly out for blood at the time. But I try not to think about it, it's just who I am." J-Dog said and then pranced ahead. Lily had begun walking towards them to greet them and when J-Dog passed her he said, "Outta my way gorgeous." and brushed by still in his high and mighty way. Lily was disgusted by his rude behavior, and made sure to make a remark about to Humphrey and Garth.

"Who's that jerk of a wolf over there?" She asked them rudely.

"That Lily, is this wolf's brother. We found them off of a train passing through Jasper, this one is really shy though, he hasn't said a word since we found him." Humphrey explained the whole scenario to her.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry…?" She extended her paw, as if she was politely asking for a name.

"It's no use honey, he's not gonna answer." Garth said to her. "I will however teach that other one a thing or…" Garth started after J-Dog, but Age put his paw out in front of Garth and stopped him. When Garth looked at him, Age shook his head and then immediately started shaking again.

"Well, can't argue with that. That's the most he's done since we found him." Humphrey said to Garth.

"True, alright let's go." He said, and then turned to Lily. "Are you gonna walk with us sweetie?" Garth said in his charming, stud voice. Lily blushed, but responded,

"I wish I could Mr. Cutie, but Dad let me join the search team to find Kate." She then looked at Humphrey. "I'm sorry Humphrey, but no one has seen her since last night. Oddly enough, no one can pick up her scent either, strange if you ask me."

Humphrey was sadden the rest of the walk to Winston's den, but when they were just outside of the den, Age bumped into his side, causing Humphrey to look at him, and he gave Humphrey a smile. It wasn't very big, and it felt kind of awkward, but Humphrey was appreciative of the effort from the very meek little wolf.

When they walked into the den they saw J-Dog talking to Eve and Winston about something, what it was, I'm sure by this point they really couldn't care. Humphrey walked in and sat next to Age, and Garth sat on the opposite side of the den. Eve then looked at Humphrey with a quick glance and made sure he didn't notice, and then tried to pounce on him. But apparently, Age noticed, and threw himself and Humphrey out of the way, causing Eve to grab nothing but dirt. Winston's jaw dropped to the den floor, no one had ever dodged one of Eve's pounces, and they were what she was best at! The thought of having a wolf being able to avoid a blow like that was just too impossible for him to believe. Humphrey was panting at the sudden shock of the event, and when he looked at Age, he just gave him another weak smile. Eve returned to her post in the den and brushed her hair.

"You have my full attention little one. Make it worth my time." She said sternly. But J-Dog couldn't resist a chance at this snooty comment.

"Whoa Mistress Scary, I don't think you wanna scare him, see, he's already nervous enough as it is." He said putting his arm around his little brother and pulling him up against his side.

Eve gave J-Dog a growl, but Winston stopped the heist before it went any further. "No Eve , be nice. He's not from around here, his accent told me that." Winston said, and Eve backed down, for the moment. "Now if you don't mind Mr. J-Dog, I'd like for your brother to do the talking."

"Dat's the ting yo! He doesn't talk that much. In fact, he talks so little I can actually count the number of times he has on one paw." J-Dog said.

"Fine, then tell me, how did you guys come to Jasper?" Winston asked, ready for what was probably going to be a massive blabber.

"Well, we were born and half raised in the Central Park Zoo, New York City. Best place in the world! I tell you big city lights, a new adventure every day, the town could inspire anyone!" Winston had heard of New York, but he never met any wolves from there, and now he saw why, they were very annoying and rude. "But anyway, we were the only surviving pups from our litter. Our mom died a few months later from an after birth disease. My daddy-o was taking care of us until a new wolf that was supposed to be his new mate came into the zoo. She didn't like either one of us, so we got sent out of the zoo and we were on our way to be set free up in Alaska." J-Dog explained their past. Humphrey noticed Age twitching and was about to ask why when Age exploded and screamed at J-Dog.

"You stupid idiot! That's not what happened at all! You have got to stop telling people that to try and make yourself sound sweet and innocent!" Age yelled at him and growled. He then looked at Winston and Eve, "Do you wanna know what really happened?" They shook their head 'yes', and then Age was seated back down.

"Hutch! Get this wolf out of our den, keep him busy for a while!" Winston ordered Hutch, and J-Dog was escorted out. He had a look of hatred on his face, and it was toward Age, that much they could all tell.

"I'm sorry everyone," Age said sitting back down in his spot and looking around, "It's just he's such a jerk to everyone, he's tells people that story all the time to try and make himself sound like a good wolf, and that we had bad parents, so he could use it as an excuse for his bad attitude. But I'd never do anything because I'm afraid of him, but this time you guys were here." He said smiling around, "Anyways, not his entire story was fake. We were born and raised in New York's Zoo, that much is true, but that's about when it stops. See, when we were little he was always a snob to people like that. So much in fact ,that our brothers and sisters all got transferred to different exhibits just to get away from him. My parents and I were the only ones who remain in the same cage. But when my Mom and Dad got older, the people took them away, as of now I don't know where. Without parents to watch over us, Joe went on an absolute rampage of viciousness and trouble-making. We ended up getting transferred from zoo to zoo across the country, hoping to find a new home. We were on our way to the next zoo in Alaska went I thought up a plan to break free of our cages, that way once we were out in the wild, I'd survive and he'd be all alone and helpless cause he's nothing but mean. But we met you guys, so now he's free to start being mean again." Age said their whole true back story and Humphrey was feeling terrible for him.

"We'll keep all of that in mind…I'm sorry what was your name?" Winston asked him politely.

"Age…my name's Age. And in case you're wondering, my brother's full name is Joseph, my parents called him Joey, I call him Joe, and people who don't know him and/or people who are scared of him call him J-Dog."

After the long and tiring commentary with Age about his former life, he set off with Humphrey to be shown around Jasper. "So you were never scared of us? You were shaking from Joe?"

"Yeah, his accent is really strange, and I'm the only one he's not a jerk to. Even to this day I don't know why. He was mean to Mom, Dad, his 'friends', and people he didn't even know, why he was always so nice to me I'll never understand."

"So you were scared he'd turn on you?"

"Yep, that's it in a nutshell." Age said.

"Age…your name is very interesting. Where did you get it?" Humphrey asked fully curious.

"Well, I don't really remember. I know Joe got his name from our Uncle Joe. But my parents never really told me where my name came from." Age said, but then Garth came out of nowhere and ran up to Humphrey.

"Humphrey, we've caught Kate's scent, and I'm letting you come with us." Humphrey's eyes lit up and he turned to Age.

"I've gotta go Age." He said and then Garth and Humphrey dashed off. Age didn't think much of it until he turned around and his nose bumped into another wolf's nose, it belonged to some girl he didn't know. Both of their eyes got big, and the girl gasped.

"Hi…" She said nervously, then gaining a smile.

"Hi…" Age whispered.

**Another chapter done and written. Well that'll be all for now, MyWayWriter out!**


	3. I've Got a Secret

**So now that you've all met Age, it's time to meet his love interest. Kate is on the prowl, but Humphrey and Garth are close behind her. But Age has a little secret that he's not told anyone yet. And that secret will explain how he was able to dodge Eve's pounce. In short, this chapter will be about Age and his love meeting for the first time, and soon after she'll find out a few surprising things about him.**

Better Than This

Chapter 3

I've Got a Secret

Age's mouth hung open as he stared at the girl he bumped noses with. He had hoped he wasn't freaking her out by his apparent affection for her. He was smiling and trying to be polite of course, but she seemed as though she was a little nervous.

"Hi…again. Who are you?" She tried saying to him.

"Uh…sorry miss, but you've…well, sort of…" Age couldn't think of anything to say. He was rendered speechless by the wolf. But in a quick action of mental reconstruction, he pulled his thoughts, and his nerves back together. "I'm sorry, my name is Age." He said and bowed his head forward like a gentleman. She took a liking to his sudden calmness, and answered him back.

"Hi…Age. My name is Hayley, I'm an Omega." Age looked up from his bow and asked her,

"Omega? I've heard these wolves call each other Alphas and Omegas, but I'm not really sure what all that means." Age told her. She realized he was from outside the park and figured she'd help him out.

"Oh, you're not from here are you?" Hayley asked him, and Age shook his head 'no'. "Well then why don't you walk with me? I'll explain everything." Age smiled at her request and he joined her at her side and they walked down a path and passed a few other wolves, but they seemed proud and sturdy.

"I'm guessing those were…Alphas?" Age asked her.

"Yep, Alphas are the ones that do all the hunting and take care of the pack. Omegas like me keep the members of the pack entertained with jokes, games and other activities." Age seemed intrigued by the thought of this organized system of leaders and servants, or at least that's how he interpreted it. "If you're not from around here, that means, if you are gonna become part of our pack, you've gotta take the test to see if you'd be classified as and Alpha or an Omega." She finished, and he immediately fired back.

"I actually am wondering why you have this whole social class thing. From where I come from, everyone was equal. There were no Alphas, or Omegas. There was, well, just us." Age explained to her.

"You didn't have a system of ruling? That's a little strange…" Worried she just offended him, she defended herself. "Not that you're strange it's just, I'm not use to meeting someone who has no…I mean it's weird to…I mean….!" Hayley was throwing statements all over the place, Age knew what she meant, but she was struggling to get it out. He'd thought he'd be the bigger wolf and help her out.

"I understand Hayley, you don't have to say it." He said to her giving her a warm smile.

After a sigh of relief, she said, "Thanks…" The she tilted her head and gave him a smile, and their eyes locked. Age stared at her with his own head tilted, and he was still smiling. The two found a bond in that moment, but at the same time it didn't last. Hayley broke away from the gaze, and she was blushing like crazy.

"Age, where you come from, do you…howl?" She asked him, a little shy.

"Of course, I'm a wolf. Only I have a feeling that we howl differently."

"That's probably true. How do you howl?" She asked him, curious and eager at the same time.

"Well, since I'm from New York, I actually howl, and talk at the same time." He said, proud of his statement.

"How do you do that? That sounds hard." Hayley said, shocked at his technique for howling.

"No, it's not, I'll show you." She sat back and watched.

_When you're gone_

_I'll never be the same_

_And when you're gone_

_I know that you'll miss me_

_Too_

Hayley's mouth was hanging open at his howling/talking. She was utterly dumbfounded by his skill. "How did you do that?"

"Maybe I could teach you sometime. It's…sort of hard to explain in a short time." Age mumbled sort of embarrassed.

"May I show you the park? I got a feeling you'll like it." She offered.

"I know I will, but not as much as I've come to like you." He said, making both of them blush, and she giggled.

After that, the two walked around Jasper, and Hayley showed Age all the important sights to see around the park. Age was amazed at how beautiful the park was, in fact, after a point, he wished he could stay. As they walked around, they talked the whole time, and grew very close. By the time the sky was orange and purple, Hayley had shown him the whole park, and when they arrived back at the lead den she had a few final questions for him.

"So Age, what do you think?" She asked him about the park.

"Your home is absolutely stunning! I wish I didn't have to leave." This sent a jolt of depression through Hayley.

"Wait, what? You're leaving?"

"Well, I'm only gonna stay here for the time being, until my brother gets kicked into line. But that'll be awhile, so I guess I'll be here for a time, long enough anyway." Age told her. She breathed a sigh of, half relief and then asked him more questions.

"Well then in that case, are you an Alpha or and Omega? I know you haven't taken the test yet, but what do you think you'll be?"

"I don't know, I'm not really all that advanced in hunting and fighting, I'm actually very basic." Her eyes lit up at the thought that he'd be an Omega like her. Not that it mattered much now that Alphas and Omegas could be mates now.

"That's great Age, by the way, where'd you get that name? I like it, it's very unique." Hayley asked curiously. Age sighed and answered her question.

"I forget actually. I don't really know where it came from." Hayley's color seemed to vanish a little at the statement but she didn't seem to mind too terribly. "Oh by the way, where I come from, I was known as a peripheral wolf."

"What's a peripheral wolf?" She asked with sneaky eyes.

"Well, in New York, since I was part of a zoo, a peripheral wolf was a wolf that kind of sat around and didn't do anything until he was asked to. In short, he was kind of like a mix between an Alpha and an Omega." Hayley suddenly got worried that if he became an Alpha, she'd feel sort of bad about not being able to do any hunting for him. She wanted to talk him out of it, but she still knew that it would be wrong and she'd feel guilty afterwards.

"Oh, so…you could go either way, huh?" She said with sadness in her voice. Age noticed the drain of light from her mood and thought something was wrong.

"Hayley, is something bothering you? You seem upset right now."

"Well…it's complicated; it's not really something I can explain at the moment." She said with her head down.

He smiled, and leaned down and licked her cheek; she picked her head back up and stared at him. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes…very much." She said shying away a little, but she was smiling nonetheless. Out of nowhere, Hutch came up to the two of them and demanded,

"Is one of you Age?" He growled. Age looked bold, and not scared whereas Hayley back up a little.

"Who's asking?" Age said sternly.

"Don't test me Omega, where is Age?" He was looking for him for some dire reason he wouldn't share, so he figured he'd stay safe.

"I saw him walking around the park with some girl, I don't know where he went." With that, Hutch smiled and sat down, nodding his head in approval. Hayley came out from behind Age and sat next to him and stared at Age with confusion. After Hayley was done staring at Age looking for an answer to their strange encounter, Hutch when back to his old, non-aggressive self.

"Congratulations Age, I knew it was you. This was a test from the lead female herself Eve, she wanted to see if you dodging her was just a fluke. And it without a doubt wasn't; if I didn't know this was you, you would've certainly had me fooled. The way you stood up to me, the calmness you showed when you lied, with these qualities, minus the lying of course, you'll be a fine Alpha." Hayley started to get nervous again, and she let her ears down. Hutch didn't noticed, "In fact, if you passed, I was told to bring you before her and Winston, whom you've already met." Hutch concluded. Age lit up at the opportunity to talk to the head Alphas of the pack.

"I would be honored…" He said standing up straight to show some courtesy. The two began to walk away, but Age noticed Hayley started walking away, and she seemed really sad. "Wait…" he said to Hutch, then he turned back around and ran back to Hayley. "Hayley?" She turned her head back around and looked back to him, "Would you like to come with me?" He asked smiling. Hutch seemed to disagree completely.

"I don't think that's a good idea Age."

"I don't care, I'm not just gonna leave her behind like that." Age said to Hutch, he looked back and Hayley was slowing picking her head up, and then she nodded. Age smiled and then gestured for her to follow.

"I don't like this. But caring for others is a good quality to have, nicely done my friend." Hutch said and continued to lead them to the den.

Along the way, Age heard talk of a herd of caribou that lived a ways up the canyon in the northern section of the park. The thought scared him, yeah it was good for hunting, but what if there was ever a stampede? How would you get out in time, Omegas clearly weren't trained runners. Then he heard rumors that Alphas and Omegas could be together, course this was of no importance to him, he didn't understand the concept. Finally, he heard the wolves speak of a death that had taken place that day. From what he heard from the conversation, a wolf with a funny accent was 'just playing roughly' with a few other wolves, and one ended up in a fatal condition. Shortly after, the wolf died from blood loss, and the wolf with the funny accent was nowhere to be found. This aroused some suspicions in Age's mind. Sure his brother was known for causing mischief, but he was sure he'd never kill anyone. It was a thought that was extremely unsettling, but Age shook it off so he could focus on the meeting with the head Alphas. Upon arrival, Hutch signaled for Hayley to wait outside and escorted Age through the entrance. When Eve saw him, she acted like she was a formal woman.

"Ah, there he is…" She said smiling, but then hurled herself across the cave and attacked. Age stood his ground and watched her fall on her face in front of him.

"You misjudged the distance, and the amount of force you would've needed to propel yourself across the den and get me in your jaws. There was no need for me to move." He said and walked past her and sat down across from Winston. "You wanted to see me?" Winston tried to talk, but he was still just sitting there with his mouth hanging open and his eyes big.

"But…she, how did you…? Oh never mind, I've called you here because of…well that!" He said pointing to his mate who was just getting off the floor. Age was going to answer when he saw Hayley starting to leave.

"Um…I'll talk to you about this later, I have a friend in need right now." He said and darted out, with a very silent step Eve noticed too.

Age came out and went after Hayley. "Hayley, where are you going? I don't want you to leave." He said to her. She turned her head and smiled again.

"I don't either, but I was just spoken to by my Mom, I have to go home now." She said and continued walking away, "Bye."

"Wait, Hayley…" She turned around and anticipated his statement. "Will you go on a date with me?" He asked her, acting very shy. She walked up to him and licked his cheek.

"Of course I will, see you then." She said and walked away. Age just grinned from ear to ear, and fainted on the spot.

**Keen, yes, faint hearted, also yes. So that's Hayley, Age's romance for the story. I'll explain his huge amount of awareness and quick eyes later, for now, just focus on the wolf that died from another wolf with the** **funny accent. It'll be very important later on. Also, the next chapter will be more about Humphrey finding Kate, but perhaps Age's senses would come in handy?**


	4. Thick Red Tree Sap

**So we know Age is a little on the weak side, but a pretty girl just said yes to going on a date with him, how else would you expect a shy wolf like him to respond! But Kate still hasn't been found, and the mysterious dead wolf is drawing attention from the wrong crowds. Seems that Humphrey won't be the only one who's in edge a little bit, trouble is certainly near. **

Better Than This

Chapter 4

Thick Red Tree Sap

Humphrey and Garth were prowling all over the back areas of Jasper. Garth had mostly been the one who did the sniffing and scoping, Humphrey just sat back and tried to help in any way that he could. But more than often he would just trip over a root or sniff out something that made him hungry. Garth was frustrated by Humphrey's constant fall overs but he knew that Humphrey was an Omega. After a point, Garth actually started thinking it was funny. The way Humphrey kept trying to be on the prowl, it made Garth laugh on the inside. But soon, Garth thought that he was trying too hard, and that he might hurt himself if he went any further.

"Humphrey…what are you doing?" Garth asked raising his eyebrow at Humphrey with his nose straight on the ground.

"I'm…trying to…inhale the scents." Humphrey managed to say, but it was much muffled. Garth scoffed at Humphrey attempt to try and track.

"Humphrey, pick your nose up. That way you can actually take in the smells; you never played some weird Omega game that heighten your sense of smell." Garth asked, still curious as to how Humphrey could have some minor Alpha skills by just playing pointless Omega games. Humphrey shot Garth a dumb look and responded, in what he thought was a proud manor, but really was just making him look washed up.

"Of course I have bro. All during the winter, we hid berries around the park and tried to find them without our noses going numb from the cold. I usually found the most, it's really hard to find the smell of berries when there's cold winds left and right, not to mention a bunch of other slight conflicting smells." Humphrey recalled out loud. Garth still didn't understand it, but at the moment he didn't care.

"Find then, use that to help me find Kate; I figured that should've been enough to make you try." Garth commented on Humphrey's logic.

"Well I tried it already and I couldn't find a thing, that's why I was doing this…" He said and pawed the ground, "I was trying a different tactic."

Garth was still rendered speechless by Humphrey, his new brother-in-law was still an Omega, but he had a false sense of when to give up. To Garth it made no sense what so ever. Garth and Humphrey then continued to sniff the ground in their respective ways and followed the scent of whatever they found. Kate's recognizable scent had long been gone, so now, the two were just taking the leads they could manage to sniff out, regardless of what it was.

"I sort of wish Age was here." Announced Humphrey out of nowhere, "He has some real acute senses; he could probably help us find Kate no problem."

(Back with Age passed out outside the head den)

"Hmm…" Age mumbled in his sleepy stage, "It was the best, she howled with me, and hugged me…and then we even kissed. It was the best date ever…" Age was rudely awakened by a loud howl that carried through the park. "What…huh?" Age yelled as he was thrown back into life. "What was that?" Age asked himself, there was no one around. Age picked himself up and rushed over to the den he was near, and when he looked in he saw Winston. "Winston, what's going on?" Age asked scared, the sky was red and orange still, and it wasn't helping the mood.

"There's been a murder in the park my boy, come with me." Age shook once more, and followed Winston down into the canyon. Every wolf in the pack was there, and there were dozens of wolves. Age kept next to Winston's side and soon, Tony came up to them.

"We have a pack law murder here, come take a look." Tony brought Winston, around the canyon wall, but before they were around, Winston stopped Age.

"Stay here son, if we need your sense of smell, I'll call you. For now help Eve not let anyone past this point…" He said and pointed to a low stone platform that looked like an altar to him. "I got a feeling this isn't going to be pretty." Winston finished and walked around the canyon with Tony. Age turned around and Eve was waiting for him.

"Alright sweetie, no one goes past here; you cover that side I'll keep an eye on this one, more Alphas should be here shortly to help us out." Eve instructed him, and then assumed her post. Age then walked over to his spot, and all the sat in front of him was a crowd of mumbling wolves. After a minute or so of awkward stares between him and the crowd, Winston came about by himself and called,

"Age, think you can see this? It's a bit gruesome, but Tony and I can't figure it out." Age just slowly nodded his head, he was nervous of whatever this was. But he wanted to make a good impression, so he followed Winston around the canyon wall, and he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the dead wolf, but here, it was not one wolf, but three.

The three wolves had been skewered and shish-kabobed on a leaning pine tree up on a ledge on the canyon wall. Blood from the top wolf was slowly dripping down from its body, onto the next and onto the last. Age could barely look at the sight to being with, the sight of the red liquid staining the bark of the tree and leaking in and out of the other bodies make him quake in fear. Not to even mention the loose organs hanging out of the bodies from being impaled so hard. Age could look no more, no wonder they didn't let the public see this, he turned away and covered his eyes with his paws, the image of the gore he just saw wouldn't go away for a long time.

"Take a good long look kid; this is the work of someone serious. Whoever did this, they're not messing around, and they mean business. And it's our job, to stop them before they strike again." Without looking, Age managed to respond to Tony.

"You want me to go up there and sniff that? Are you Alphas out of your minds?" Age complained to them.

"Age you've got a better sense of smell then we do, if there's any smell to be found, I'm sure you could find it. We've already tried, we couldn't find anything. Please my boy, for the pack." Tony told Age, secretly, Tony was just saying that so Age would do it, he didn't believe Winston when he said Age's senses were seemingly great than the average wolf.

"Alright, fine, but if I vomit, it's your fault." Age really didn't want to do this, but if it stopped innocent wolves from getting killed he'd put up with it.

Age jumped up onto a series of rocks and ledges until he got to the ledge with the tree on it. He pulled away in disgust at the smell of the corpses, but turned back around and got very close to it. He held his breath and sniffed the blood on the bark, the hanging organs, and the grass and dirt beneath the tree. He then climbed up the tree using the branches and sniffed the individual bodies one by one. Once he reached the top, he inhaled one more time and sniffed the inside and out of the top carcass. He was about to move down when he thought he caught wind of something, and when he pushed the body up a little to get in closer, he found a word clawed into the bark. _Who_…Age read the word in his mind. Curious, he climbed down to the middle body and pushed it up a little, he had to almost go around the tree, but he found the next word also torn into the side and stained red. _Is_…he thought. _Who is_…Age wondered. Fearing what the final word might be, he went to move the body at the bottom, and once he did, it ripped in half and fell on the ground, spilling blood everywhere and letting the wolf's organs lie loose on the ground. Horrified and scarred by what he just saw, he looked at the final word with a single eye, _next_. _Who is next_…that's what it read as. The killer was going to strike again, and he maimed these three wolves and left them to drip and tear to their deaths on this pine tree. It was a sign to Age, a sign of fear, and a sign that everyone should be afraid of.

Age quickly hopped down, he couldn't take anymore and scampered over to Winston and Tony. "Well, did you find anything?" Winston asked him. Age nodded his head, in a very slow and frightened manor.

"All I really found was that all of their scents are on each other. So they must've been hanging around together when this happened." Age explained to them, wanting to save the _'Who is next?' _for last. Tony turned to Winston, and asked in a suspicious voice,

"The wolf that was killed earlier today, it was of blood loss, and his friends said it was because of some wolf with a funny voice right?" Tony asked and Winston nodded. "Would it be possible that that wolf is here, and so are his friends? That the killer skewered the one he killed on this tree, and then killed the other two and placed them here as well?" Tony tried to put the pieces together. But Age was the one who solved the mystery with a single question.

"That depends sir, how many friends did this wolf have?" Age asked.

"Two…" Breathed Tony.

Age then dropped his head to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut. Just before he spoke, he felt something wet touch his paws. He looked at what it was, and it was stream of blood coming from the wolf that broke of the tree and torn in two, Winston and Tony backed up, but Age stood still and let the blood stain his left paw.

"If he had two friends, and there's three here, along with all their scents on one another…then there's no question. These are the three friends, and the one on the bottom was killed first, that's why he fell off the tree so easily. Then after the other two reported who the attacker was, the killer snuck up on them and killed them, then put them out here because they said too much. He did it as a warning, warning that no one should mess with him…and he means no one. But that's not all…" Winston was intrigued the most of all, for all three of these wolves were from the Western Pack side. "He left a little message under all the bodies. Under the first one on the top, he clawed the word 'who'. The underneath the one in the middle, I found the word 'is', and last after the one on the bottom fell off and hit the ground, it revealed the word, 'next'."

"Who is next? That's what it said?" Winston said putting it together. Age nodded, and Winston shook in fear, "That means whoever is responsible for this ruthlessness is going to strike again! Age, was there anything else?" Winston frantically asked.

"No sir, sorry that's all I found." Age confessed his sorrow that he couldn't help more.

"Well then…thank you, you're dismissed." Winston said to Age, returning to his serious look and walking off with Tony.

Age backed off and ran up the canyon the minute they were gone. He hurried up into the brush and began crying his eyes out. He asked himself what kind of a monster would do this. But after he began sobbing, and small scent caught his nose, he stood up, and he didn't want to believe whose it was. It was that of J-Dog, he ran after the smell, running through the woods and jumping over rocks. It was late at night when he found the source of the smell coming from the inside of a cave; Age guessed he was far away from Jasper. As he crept inside, he noticed there was only one thing inside, a single, young tan wolf crying.

"Are you Kate?" Age asked her, and she jumped up at the sudden voice. But she sat back down and wiped her eyes.

"Yes I am." She responded.

**Kate did it? No, there's no way, she's too nice and loving for an act like that! But then why would J-Dog's scent lead to her? Good questions, but all will be answered later, goodbye for now. **


	5. Under The Water

**After a bizarre and gory murder of three friends, you'd think everyone would go into hiding. What would you do if there was a serial killer on the loose targeting relatively anyone? Age has found Kate in a cave crying far away from Jasper, Winston and Tony are taking care of the crowds, and Humphrey along with Garth think they're on to something but they're really not, sad. Lastly, I'd like to say sorry for the graphic violence and gore in the last chapter, and for what will be in this one too. Dun, dun, duh…  
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Better Than This

Chapter 5

Under The Water

"Wait, you're Kate? The Kate that Humphrey keeps talking about?" Age asked a distraught Kate. But she seemed to light up at the mention that Humphrey talks about her.

"He…he talks about me?" She said, smiling and sniffing.

"Of course he does. From what I've seen, he loves you more than anything. In fact, so far as I know, he's out there looking for you right now!" Age told Kate about Humphrey's pursuit.

"Oh, that's so sweet of him. I thought he'd never forgive me for running off on him like that." She spoke to the rock beneath her at first, and then she turned to Age. "Do you know where he is right now?" Kate asked him.

"Nope, sorry Miss Kate; all I know is that three wolves have been murdered by some guy who doesn't play around, and Humphrey and Garth are out in the woods unaware of it." Age shook when he told the news to Kate.

"What, there's been a murder and Humphrey's out in the woods with Garth?" She frantically asked him. Age nodded, "We have to go find them! They might be in danger, or worse." She didn't wanna think about what 'or worse' meant. "Let's go…" She said and walked out of the cave in her proud Alpha stance.

"Kate, you don't have to do that around me…I'm from New York, I view everyone the same way, Alpha or Omega." Age said in a snooty tone. Kate just glanced at him and then remembered something big.

"Hey, um…who are you?" She'd been so busy thinking of Humphrey and the sudden murder that she had forgot to ask for this wolf's name.

"Pardon me Miss Kate…" Age said trying to be formal, while still not really showing any signs that he cared she was an Alpha. "My name is Age; I'm new to the park. And I must say, you covered up your scent very well. When I followed it here, I thought I was following my brother's." Age complimented her. Kate didn't know what he was talking about after he said 'covering your scent'.

"Age, what are you talking about? I never covered up my scent. They never taught us how to disguise our smells so they seemed like someone else's." Kate countered to his compliment.

"You didn't hide your scent?" Kate shook her head, "But then how did…" The truth hit Age. The murder must've somehow made their scent lead to her, that way he could strike again on someone, and that someone was probably Humphrey and Garth. Kate saw the truth in Age's eyes, and she knew what he was thinking.

"Well then what are we standing around here for? We have to fine them and fast!" Kate shouted and immediately stuck her nose to the ground and sniffed as hard as she could. Age saw her struggle; clearly she wasn't picking anything up.

"I told you Kate, this wolf, whoever they are means business. If they could disguise their scent, I'm sure they could hide someone else's too. But let me give it a try anyway." Age offered and inhaled deeply into the air and tried to find Humphrey's smell. Kate waited in anticipation, but after a few moments she couldn't take it any longer.

"Please tell me you have something!" She begged. Age just looked at her and smiled.

"Well, I don't know if it's Humphrey's, but I've definitely smelled it before. I can't seem to remember whose it is though." Age explained about the scent he found.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Show me where!" Kate demanded. Age understood why she was in such a rush, the thought of losing her love was probably too much for her to handle, even if it was just a mere thought.

Age just nodded his head, and smelled the air again. Afterwards, he turned his head in a number of direction, and once he was locked firmly in a south-bound direction he dashed off into the woods and away from the cliffs. Kate followed right behind him, but when she did lose him in the brush or because he was moving too fast, she just called out his name and he ran back to her. After a little while the smell was growing stronger, even though they were still far outside of Jasper, the smell was starting to get stronger and stronger. Soon, Kate even started to pick up the smell.

"Hey…" Kate said all of a sudden. "You hear that?" She asked him, and when Age picked up his ears, he heard two voices in the brush, about a hundred yards away he guessed.

"Yeah, I can hear someone talking." Age reassured her with a confirmation of what she asked. But Kate just gave him a very confused look.

"You can hear voices?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow. "All I could hear was a rustle of leaves, and a few patted footsteps." She gave him a strange look again. "You did say you're new to the pack right?" Age shook his head.

"I'm not part of the pack Kate, I'm new to the _park,_ I said." Age said once again. Kate just tilted her head and wondered how he could do such a thing. After a brief glance between the two, Age's ear twitched and heard a noise. He moved in front of Kate and leaned in against the ground, pushing his ear up against it. Kate didn't understand what he was doing. Age then smiled and started wagging his tail, and after that he turned to Kate. "Kate…would you like to see Humphrey again?" Kate's eyes grew, and she nodded yes, while at the same time started to cry.

Age then gestured for her to run next to him, and they ran forward in the brush on the rough forest floor. Kate had dozens of possible apologizes to say and do, she couldn't think of one that seemed good enough for running out on their first official howl. As the leaves and rocks on the ground continued to pass them by they found themselves staring down a deep chasm. Nothing a smooth jump wouldn't fix though, as they landed, Age though he heard a voice call his name from below in it.

_Age…_

He looked over the side of the ledge to look down, and he saw nothing. Scared and freaked out, he ran some more with Kate until there was no question about it when they heard, "Kate, where are you?" It was Humphrey. Age and Kate looked at one another and smiled, and ran to the voice. When Age ran out of the forest, he found Humphrey and Garth out in the middle of a clearing, with a stream running through; they weren't in Jasper, but it looked a lot like it. Kate came up behind Age, and with tears dripping down her face, she uttered one word.

"Humphrey…" He somehow heard it, and when he turned around he saw Kate and Age. Humphrey ran to her calling her name and feeling so warm and happy on the inside. She collided with him on the ground and it wasn't long before they were licking one another nonstop. "Oh Humphrey, I'm so sorry for running away, I was just…" Humphrey stopped licking her, pulled her into a kiss, after which Kate looked like she was dazed.

"I don't care Kate, I'm just glad that you're safe. I've been so worried about you, please don't do that again." Humphrey confessed his feeling out to her. She helped him up and put her paw on his.

"I promise Humphrey, in fact, one of the reasons I was so upset was because I knew I made you sad. Which quite frankly was worse of a feeling than why I was really crying; still I'm so glad to see you!" She said again and hugged Humphrey very tight.

He had a hard time breathing but he didn't care, he just returned the affection, Age watched this, and then after a smiled and a sarcastic shaking of his head he walked over to Garth. "Not even been here a full day, and you're already making miracles." Garth said with gratitude on his face.

"Don't think about, I know what that kind of love feels like. I met someone today…" Age responded and started thinking about Hayley.

After Kate and Humphrey were done cuddling and licking, for now anyway, she ran over to Age with Humphrey. "Thank you so much Age! Without your nose, I never would've found him!" Humphrey got curious as to why she said this.

"Uh Kate, you're an Alpha? Couldn't you find me on your own?" Humphrey asked. Kate shook her head. "Huh, looks like Age still has the sharpest senses of all of us still. Good going…bro." Humphrey called Age. Age was thankful, but he aroused suspicion with his next statement.

"Thanks Humphrey, and to think I never even found that scent I was tracking." He said and laughed. Kate and Garth both looked at him funny.

"Wait…what? You were following a smell, and that smell wasn't Humphrey's or Garth's?" Kate asked with confusion and shock in her face.

"Nope, not at all, the smell I got was way different than theirs. In fact, it almost smelled watery, like it was trapped in water." Age laughed again thinking nothing of it, but Garth was beginning to worry.

"Age…" Garth said to him in a stern voice, "Take us to that scent, right now." Garth commanded him. Age shook with fright a little and then simply sniffed the air again, and then told them which way to go.

He led them up the stream a little bit, but while walking, Age felt a strange presence. It was a feeling like someone was watching him. After a point he turned his head to a few sides, and he thought he caught glimpse of a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring at him from behind the brush, but he turned away out of fear and kept walking. "Okay, it should be right up here." Age said and turned a corner near a mountain side, but when he turned and saw the section of the stream, he froze in place. When the others saw it too, they understood why. All over the part of the creek was wolf bodies, at least half a dozen. Two were hanging from overhead pine trees, dangling into the water and slowly washing their red blood downstream. Another was torn into four pieces, one caught on a rock in the water, the other three resting on land and being scavenged on by flies and maggots. Age though was going to throw up, but as he and the others moved through the area looking over the carcasses and the hung corpses, he noticed a deeper section of the stream. Four bodies total, somehow weighed down and being tormented at the bottom. The current moved some of them further than other, but one body stood out to Garth. In was late at night, and despite the redness of the blood from other bodies flowing down the creek and obscuring his view, it was no question a body of pure white. Upon a closer look, his heart stopped.

"LILY!" And he dove into the water and grabbed her and pulled her out. Age and the other two heard his cry, and Kate began crying over her sister's seemingly drowned body. Garth wasn't crying, he didn't know what to do. Age knelt down to Lily's damp and soaked figure and held out his ear to her heart. And after this, he pulled Kate away, and smiled warmly.

"It's okay, she's alive. Barely, but her being underwater for that long made her unconscious, she's probably in nothing more than a coma." Kate still cried, how could she not? Nothing could be done for Lily at the moment; at least she could breath, which alone would be enough for now.

Later into the night, after the gang had decided to get some sleep, and cold wind blew through the section of the stream, it blew through the hanging bodies and gored remained of carcasses that scattered the ground and polluted the water. Age woke from an exceptionally strong breeze and at the same time, he heard the same ghostly voice from before call him name.

_Age…_

As terrified as he was, he followed the sound to the nearby mountain side. The wind sharply blew up the side and forced Age to follow the path up the mountain. It was early in the morning, the thin line of red and orange was appearing on the horizon, which Age could see clearly from where he was. As he turned around and looked up on a rock, there stood he. The very same ghostly yellows eyes that he saw staring at him in the woods. Age wasn't mistaken, they were glowing, and he was shaking horribly with fear. The killer stood his ground and smiled, his maw and fore paws covered in loose blood and chunks of fresh flesh. His teeth dripped of blood, and he licked it up and seemed to enjoy it, his fur was a dark red color, Age guessed it was stained from all the wolves he's kill. Age regained his focus and stood the killer right in his glowing yellow eyes, and when the blood red wolf spoke, the whole mountain quivered with fear.

"At last, we meet…"

**A lot less gory than the three wolves before, but still pretty bad. Don't worry, Lily isn't dead, she's just in a coma. For those who care, the next chapter will be the talk between Age and the killer, seems like something he wouldn't do. Again, sorry for the gore, but this story isn't just rated M for the blood, it's also or the love, that come soon enough, wait and see. **


	6. Solution By Blood

**Forgive me for throwing Age into a sudden confrontation, but this murderer is no joke. He sort of reminds me of the SS Men from the Holocaust. I mean come on, dark red, blood stained fur, huge, sharp fangs that drip blood, and not even mentioning the glowing yellow eyes. Whew, this guy even creeps me out, and I made him, all in all, you'll get an answer to a number of questions you'll be having, just sit tight and don't throw up. It's already too late for me…lol. **

Better Than This

Chapter 6

Solution By Blood

Age faced down the creature that stood over him on the rock. It was still an early dawn and the rest of his friends hadn't woken from their slumber yet. He wouldn't let them anyway; they'd die if they faced this monster that stared down on the little peripheral. Since Age was standing on a mountainside about half way up, and murderer was higher up and gazing towards Age with a look that didn't seem like it was seeking death. More like a face that wanted to talk, and use blood shed only if necessary.

"Like I'm glad to meet you, you mass murdering dog!" Age yelled at his observer. The blood wolf just smiled, every time he grinned, more blood dripped down his fangs. Age thought either his mouth was bleeding, or he had a storage of blood sealed in his maw.

"You should be, I'm actually not feeling a need to kill you." The murderer said, the ground still quaking at the vibrations of his deep, malicious voice.

"Under no circumstances would a wolf like me ever be happy to be a slaying, bleeding…mutt as yourself!" Age continued to yell at him.

"For now, just call me Blood, it's only appropriate." He sneered and licked up more blood from his fangs and paws. Age closed his eyes in disgust.

"Fine then…Blood, why don't you feel a need to kill me; am I not as underlining as everyone else?" Age asked. Blood smirked, and turned to his side as if he was gesturing for Age to follow him, and then he leaped up the mountainside, leaving Age far behind. "Hey, get back here!" Age demanded and followed him on foot, jumping and gliding up the rock on his bare paws. Once he reached the top, he was met by another down-looking from Blood. A sharp rock stuck out from the top, and it was here Blood placed himself, and from here he still looked down upon Age.

"Can't we just…talk? I'm not going to hurt you, I need your help." Blood said, and he started pacing back and forth on the rock.

"You need my help? Why in the hell would I ever help you?" Age screamed at him. But the two were high enough on the mountain top; his voice was lost in the wind.

Blood didn't make a facial gesture; instead he just jumped down in front of Age and slowly walked towards him. "Hmm, you didn't go on the defensive I see, how come?" He asked looking like he knew the answer.

"You weren't going to attack me; I could tell by the way you jumped." Age declared watching Blood circle around him. Blood continued to walk around him and smiled, but didn't show his teeth this time.

"You see, that is why. I won't kill you, because you're just like me…" He said and walked away from him, trailing up the ice that lead to the summit, but stopped and turned around to look at Age.

"How am I even possibly like you? I don't kill wolves for pleasure!" Blood lowered his ears and frowned.

"You think I kill for fun? Wrong Age, you are _very _wrong." Blood nobly stated.

"Then why do you kill them? I find it hard to believe they actually did anything so bad that they deserve such gruesome deaths." Age questioned his rival.

"I only kill wolves who aren't like us my friend. I kill wolves…that are inferior." Blood told him as he returned to his little perch above Age's head. Age looked back up to him, again, and asked in a curious voice.

"What do you mean wolves that aren't like us? What is so special about us?" Age asked not understanding Blood's logic.

"We, my friend, are a superior race of wolf. We are direct descendants of the first wolves themselves. And as they continued to mate with lesser dogs, their knowledge and perfect senses slowly faded away. We however, are still enhanced with their abilities, we can think, we can surpass any of these pathetic Alphas, and we are all known amongst ourselves. Look at me Age, and tell me you don't know me…"

Age looked right at Blood in a way he hadn't before. He stared very closely into his eyes and over his body, the image was shook from his head, and he snapped back. "I don't care if I'm a special wolf, I have friends down there, and I'll fight anyone to defend them. But you're right; I do feel like I know you from somewhere." Age didn't want to admit it, but he did feel like he recognized Blood, somehow.

"I knew you'd remember, I also know that you're developing feelings for the Omega known as Hayley." Age growled fiercely at Blood for bringing her into this. "Calm down friend, I won't hurt her. Tribal traditions don't permit confrontation between wolves of the same pack. Since we are, I'd have to fight you to get to her, and I shall not kill you. I can't, we are all evenly matched, and it's just the way we were bred."

"You will leave her alone Blood! I don't care about pack laws, if you even go near her, I'll tear your throat out!" Age stepped closer to Blood's perch.

"Fine, I understand…" Age couldn't believe how nonchalant Blood was. He killed a handful of wolves, and he acted so laid back, despite his grueling appearance. "How about this, until you go on that date with her, no more wolves shall die."

"You're not serious, how could you be so understanding and self-controlled? You maim the bodies of those you kill so much we can barely tell who they once were! Why are you being so…so…" Age couldn't find the right word.

"Indifferent…? I know, that's because there's nothing wrong with what I do, it's for the good of the wolves that remain. The true wolves, not these mutts your friends call themselves." Blood rationalized his slaughter.

"Yeah, indifferent…why are you being so indifferent?"

"I already told you, I care not for the mutts I kill. I do the world a favor by getting rid of them…" Blood then perked up his ears and acted like he heard a noise on the wind being carried up from the ground. "Sounds like your friends are getting up." He said and turned to go, "Oh, by the way, for every day you don't go on that date, one wolf shall die, each more excruciating than the last." Blood chuckled and let one last drop of blood trickle down his fang and onto the rock he was standing on. He then vanished, Age didn't have time to yell after him, one second he was there, then the next gone.

"I'm not done with you! You hear me Blood? I'll fight until I die to protect this pack!" Age yelled to the peak hoping Blood was still listening. Now convinced that Blood was gone, Age sprinted down the rocks and ice, careful not to fall. He heard that his friends were indeed waking up, and ran even faster to them. Once he got to the bottom of the mountain he dashed through the forest and crept up to them from behind a bush and watched them.

"Hey, where's the freak?" Garth snooty commented. Kate growled at him.

"Show some respect Garth. Without 'the freak' we never would've found Lily. And I probably wouldn't have been found for a while. Geez, his senses are still boggling my mind." Kate recalled to everyone. Age thought now would be a good time to come out.

"Why would they do that?" Age asked aloud coming out of the brush. Kate stuttered back a few steps, and so did Garth.

"Oh Age, how much did you hear?" Kate asked him.

"Believe me Kate, I heard enough. And I really don't like being called a freak Garth. I can't help that I'm like the way I am. That would be like you ranting on Humphrey for having Alpha skills from playing games." Garth was speechless; he hadn't told anyone about that. "Yes Garth I know, you keep mumbling to yourself about it for some reason."

"Humphrey…is that true?" Kate asked her love. She knew nothing about his possible skills as an Alpha.

"Well actually, I never thought much of it until Age over here pointed it out. He noticed my hearing, my light footstep, and my smell capabilities. It was sort of strange when he pointed it out, but I don't really even think about it, I'm your Omega Kate, and that's all that matters." Humphrey said and gave her a lick. Kate smiled and out her head under his chin and the cuddled for a few seconds.

Age grew a smile on his face, the point of view he had of watching Kate and Humphrey show affection to each other like this made him truly miss Hayley. Garth was just worried he'd never be able to show love like that to Lily ever again. After Humphrey pulled away from Kate, Garth asked for some assistance getting Lily on his back so he could carry her. As the group walked back towards Jasper, Kate got curious to a few things.

"Hey Age…?" She asked him, and he turned around, "Where were you this morning? We all got worried for a second, except for Garth of course." Kate said and sneered over in Garth's direction.

"Will you promise not to freak out if I tell you?" Kate didn't understand why anyone would, but she gave him her word.

"Okay, I promise." She then made Humphrey and Garth promise too.

"Alright, there was a voice calling me from the wind to go up the mountain. And well, once I went up, I met the wolf who's been the mind behind these deaths. Believe it or not, but, I met the murderer." Kate's maw dropped, but she kept her word and didn't freak out.

"You met him, and he didn't kill you?" Kate asked not knowing why.

"Are you lying to us?" Garth threw out; clearly he didn't believe what he told them.

"I promise that I'm not lying, I'll explain it all to the head Alphas when we get back, I honestly don't want to say it twice. It's a long and weird story." Age said with a heavy heart and walked back to Jasper.

(Back in the Head Den)

"So…you think she'll be okay?" Humphrey asked after they walked in the den. When Eve saw that Lily was in a coma and unconscious on Garth's back, she fainted on the spot and was dragged to a corner of the den by Winston. Humphrey, as much as she was afraid of Eve, still asked if she was going to be fine.

"She'll be up and growling again in no time. But still, tell me the whole story from the beginning." Winston asked the little posse.

"I'm really sorry Dad, but I'm afraid the only one who can do that is Age." Kate drearily said to her father.

"Fine then, Age…what happened? Everyone else you can leave." Winston told the others. Garth when to the back of the den and placed her down softly. Garth then sat down himself and curled into a ball next to his mate while Kate and Humphrey left the melancholy aura behind.

Age then told the entire story to Winston from start to finish. All the way from when he ran off after the tree incident, to finding Kate, rescuing Lily, and speaking to the wolf responsible for these deaths. Winston was having a hard time listening to it all without getting sick, and after Age said that the murders would halt until he went on his date, Winston just stopped believing him.

"Okay, that's just crazy. There no way that's what really happened, him stopping his killings just so you can go on a date with that Omega girl."

"But Winston I'm for real! I'm not joking, he really did say that! Despite his really weird and grueling appearance, he seemed to be very level headed." Age complained to Winston to believe him.

"Well then don't go on that date mister; never, under any circumstances!" Winston commanded him.

"Yeah, about that…he said that for every day I don't go on that date, he'll kill one wolf, each death worse than the previous one." Winston shook off what Age told him, it was in no way believable to him. Before Winston rudely shoved past Age he turned around and looked him in the eye.

"By the way, we did some snooping around with J-Dog; he's been under some close surveillance. We've determined that he couldn't be the killer, that he's been watched the whole time. I too had my suspicions that it was him, but if you talked to the killer while J-Dog was here, what more proof do we need than that?" He turned to walk out, but before he did he turned around one more time. "Also, Humphrey is your cousin." Winston said quickly and ran off.

"Wait, what!" Age yelled after him but Winston was long gone. Age didn't know what to say or think, but a sudden voice calmed his mind.

"Age...is that you?" It was Hayley, Age looked and it was her. Age smiled hugely and ran over to her and licked her cheek, and she licked his back. "I really missed you, where have you been?" She asked in a sweet yet concerned voice.

"Well…you're probably not going to believe it but…I met the wolf that has been killing your pack members. And he threatened to…"

"You met him!" Hayley shouted in a fully blown out panic voice.

"Shh…! Please Hayley, but he threatened to kill a wolf everyday unless we went on our date. I have no idea why, but that really what he said, honest truth!" Age said pledging he wasn't lying.

"I don't know why, but I believe you. How about tomorrow?" She asked, secretly wanting to take advantage of this.

"Sure, I'd love to, be careful though, I'm worried that he's planning something." Age said concern to her.

"I will Age, I'll meet you when you decide on a place." Hayley said and walked off.

Age had no idea what Blood was thinking, but regardless of what it was, he was determined to enjoy his first date with Hayley. It didn't matter the conditions of the environment, he would have a good time, or die trying.

**That's it for now! Humphrey will find out Age is his cousin later, and if J-Dog isn't Blood than who is? Oh well, you'll see, later!**


	7. Toxic Emotions

**I think the only thing I have to say at this point is…watch out everyone. This might get a little gory…**

Better Than This

Chapter 7

Toxic Emotions

Humphrey was walking along with Kate; it was like there was nothing going on in the park right now. No murders, no killing, no innocent blood shed, not a care in the whole world between the two of them. Humphrey was still in the dark as to recent events, like Age being his cousin, but his mind was completely on something else. He wanted to show Kate a very special place to him, and place that would have great importance to their lives as mates, once they became mates of course.

"Can you please tell me where we're going Humphrey? I know you want it to be a surprise, but with everything that's going on right now, I don't think I can take the tension." Kate told Humphrey, in no way was she trying to be pushy, but the thought of a wolf running around and killing everyone scared her.

"Don't worry Kate, I promise I soon as I show you, we'll be right back on our home. But believe me, this is something I have to show you…ooh, we're here, close your eyes!" Humphrey insisted, and she smiled slightly and closed her amber brown eyes.

Kate felt the ground beneath her change from a rough, earthy feel, to a smooth, crevassed rock feel. The light that Kate could see through her eye lids also changed to a much darker setting. "Okay…open them…" Humphrey said to Kate in a whisper. She slowly opened her eyes, and when she looked around, she was standing, not in a den, but in a small cave. There were stalactites hanging overhead and there was a small trickle of water dripping from a crack in the top of the cave. Even though Kate wasn't expecting this, she was still immensely blown away.

"Humphrey…how'd…how did you…?" Her question was quickly answered.

"I searched forever I'll say that. This'll be our home Kate, after we become mates, I wanted to move here and make this our den. It's big enough for the two of us that's for sure; I think it'll be able to support us." Humphrey breathed.

"And then some…" Kate spoke out, a small echo bouncing off the walls of the cave.

"What, and then some? What do you mean by that?" Humphrey should've known, but Kate didn't mind. Nothing could've spoiled her mood right now, not even the thought of her sister being in a coma.

"Humphrey…puppies; this place is big enough for us and the puppies." She said softly and turned around and looked right at him, his eyes were wide, but he was still excited.

"You want to have puppies? With me, of anyone, me?" He asked her and smiled with tears welling in his eyes.

"Yes Humphrey, you couldn't have chosen a better place, I love it, it's perfect…and so are you, thank you." Kate whispered to Humphrey and kissed him on the lips, causing him to blush, wag his tail, and pull her into a hug. "I love you Humphrey… and I can't wait." Kate confessed with a smile.

"I love you too Kate, and believe me, I'm pretty excited too." Humphrey mumbled out onto her back, and then embraced her even tighter. The moment was beautiful to them, it was one of the moments that defined their future together as mates, but all good moments come to an end.

The whole time they walked to their future den, and shared their tender moment, a very sly set of glowing yellow eyes watched them from the shadows of the late afternoon brushes and tree shades. The villain let out a small chuckle and pleased himself with this information. "Now I know who to target, after I'm done with the insignificant one." Blood gurgled to himself and stole himself away, hiding for the time being.

Over in another part of Jasper, Age was asking around as to what the most romantic spots in the park were. Most of the answers he got were something along the lines of "What are you nuts?" or "How can you think about that when there's a killer on the loose?", something in that particular family. But in a general sense he was told of a few spots where wolf couples went on dates and got married. Places like the canyon below, the lake that the stream flowed into, and the howling rock in the center or Jasper. But Age was told by and old wolf about a remote place known as Lone Rock. It was a small out-cropping of stones and stags in which when positioned on the perfect night, made the moon look so much bigger, and the rocks warmed up. It seemed like the perfect place for a first date Age thought, so after he made up his mind about it, he ran off to find Hayley. It wasn't long however, before Blood's threat of one wolf a day came true. On his way passing through the stream that used to border the territories, he knelt down to take a quick drink and he heard a twig snap. His head shot right up, and he looked around, easily pin pointing where it came from.

"Who's there, who are you, why are you here?" He asked his surrounding, but no response except a growling noise from within the darkness. The sun was beginning to go down, and the colors made a streak of red on the horizon line, this made a fire burn inside Age, he somehow knew that Blood was up to something. "Blood…where are you? Who do you have, let them go!" Age yelled into the woods.

"Come out, come out and play…I'm only…scratching the surface…" A maniacal laugh echoed through the area and Age sprinted in the direction it came from. The evil voice was definitely Blood's, but who he had worried Age, and he dreaded to think of what he meant by 'scratching the surface'.

It wasn't a whimper that drove Age to turn around once he was deep in the forest; it was fear, welling from within him. He turned around and looked up, and he saw Candu, dangling from a branch trap about ten feet in the air. He was wrangling to get out of it, he had two huge claw marks running down his stomach, and now Age knew what Blood meant by, scratching the surface. Candu was starting to panic because he thought the approaching wolf was Blood, but he saw it was Age, and to a degree, calmed down.

"Oh Age…boy am I glad to finally meet you. I hear good things about you, but can you please get me out of this, that psycho could be back any second." Candu hurried Age along.

"Actually I never went anywhere…" It was Blood, turning a corner from around a tree, lowering Candu down to about five feet from the ground, out of clawing distance.

After Blood sat next to the lowered Candu, Age growled at him in an angry way, this time he was going for blood. "Cut him loose Blood…" Age commanded, but Blood smiled, and nodded.

"Alright, as you wish…" That wasn't what Age meant, Blood jumped in an arch across the front facing Candu, and a ripping noise was heard. Age looked away, and he heard Blood's voice echo around him as the devil wolf ran away, "Each more excruciating than the last…" And it was heard no more. Just to be sure, Age looked at Candu, and he was spinning around now only by one of his legs caught in the branch that held him off the ground. It was a relief to Age as he ran up to him, and tried to help him out.

"Candu, are you alright?" He asked the hanging Alpha.

"Actually…yes; that was really weird, I could've sworn he was going to kill me. Now, how do I…" Candu stopped in the middle of his sentence, and his head fell down, blood began collecting in his mouth and it fell out like a waterfall.

Age looked away in disgust, Candu was dead, no question. Blood continued to pour from Candu's mouth, but Age was wondering why that wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, but he thought wrong. As soon as the puddle of blood touched the front of his fore paws, while the dead body was hanging lifelessly by one paw, a noise, like something was being torn in half crept its way up his spine. Candu was held up by one of his back paws, and the fact that he was being held upside down by only this paw didn't help with gravity pulling every quart of blood from his body down and empting out of the mouth. As the body spun back around, the two cuts Age saw earlier had deepened, and Age saw the area by his groin slowly being to tear in half.

He heard the sound of Candu's tendons ripping in half from his lower stomach up to his neck, and for reason he didn't know he watched it too. The movement of the rip was like a zipper, starting at the top and moving down leaking more blood and causing his organs to fall out one by one as his chest and stomach was exposed and tore open. Candu's stomach fell to the ground with a splat, making a squishing noise as it hit, then the lungs came, still full of Candu's last breath. It landed next to Age, it rose and then retracted into a shrived up form. The heart bounced once and rolled to Age's paws, which he was now sitting down, his paws, legs, tail, and rear stained with the blood of the wolf he failed to save. It was nothing short of a mess; blood leaking out and flowing meters in every direction, the area under and around the emptied corpse scattered with what used to be inside of him.

Ashamed and horrified at the same time, Age picked up Candu's heart in his mouth and got up and began to walk to the head den. As he walked, the blood that stained his tail, paws, legs, and rear either dripped off or became encrusted on his fur. By the time he arrived to a place where wolves could see him, they gasped and shook, backing away as fast as possible. Age thought nothing, except for the disappointment that was dragging him down. Before he walked into the main den, Hayley was there waiting for him. She dropped her jaw at her blood encrusted friend, carrying the fresh heart in his maw; Age didn't say anything, all he did was give her a look that spoke 'I'm sorry, I failed' and walked in the main den.

Winston and Eve were talking to Garth who was still watching over Lily when he walked in. Winston turned around and saw Age, Eve fainted and Garth said nothing. Age laid Candu's heart down and looked back at the bloody paw prints he made walking into the den, and then back at Winston, who gave him a stern look.

"Sir…" Age started, "Candu, he's dead. He was victim one of the killer's threat, I could've save him. I tried, but I failed." Hayley looked in and then walked in and leaned against Age, his head fell, but Winston seemed to remain strong.

"Each worse than the last you said?" Winston asked, and Age nodded his head. "Well then…go on that stupid date boy, and save our pack…for now anyway." And he walked out, but Age was still staring down at the heart, and his red paws and legs.

"Age…" Hayley spoke, "You tried, and you lived, that's it. That's all we can do, is to try." Hayley said and then turned to go.

"We're going to Lone Rock for our date, I've decided." He whimpered over his shoulder. She turned to him and smiled.

"Be there at sundown, I can't wait." Hayley told him the time, and then she walked off trying to sound excited, but far too shaken by what she just saw.

Shortly after, Humphrey and Kate walked in following the trail of bloody prints, and when they saw it led to Age, Humphrey was the one who spoke first. "Did the killer do this?" He said after he noticed the heart on the den floor. Age nodded to Humphrey, "Well…then this has to stop, when you go for your test, tell them I want to be tested to be an Alpha. This way I can join the hunt to find this guy, and we can live safely." Humphrey stated proudly, Age had a strike for him,

"You're my cousin you know?" Age said between snorts for sucking in tears.

"What…?" Humphrey asked in a suddenly shocked, yet sarcastic voice.

"Winston did some snooping around, and apparently you're my cousin." Age told him, Humphrey just smiled.

"Well then it seems you'll get to stay with me for a few days, until Kate and I are married." Humphrey said to Age and then looked at Kate, which she blushed to. "I'll find some space in my den." He said and walked out with Kate. Garth just shook his head when he looked at Age and turned around, shunning him. Age went to sleep that night in Humphrey's den without washing away the blood; he wore it as a reminder of what happens if you're not strong enough. Blood appeared in Age's dreams that night, and he remember exactly what Blood told him when he woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting.

_Your feelings for her are poisonous you know. They'll hurt everyone around you, toxic waste harming the innocent…_

**Well that was…nice. At least now we can finally get to Age's date, I know I've long been expecting it! Okay, fine, this will be solved sooner or later, but Blood hasn't gone too far yet.**


	8. Do You Deserve It?

**So here's Age's big date night, I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to this. Just a quick heads up, things are going to get a little woozy at a point, I'll warn you when so you can skip it if you want. But other than that, let's just hope he does screw this up.**

Better Than This

Chapter 8

Do You Deserve It?

Age was pacing nervously as he waited for the sun to go down; the glare it cast shone off his newly red fur. Humphrey was watching him from the corner of the den they were sharing, and it was funny, because he remembered when he was like that, but at the same time he felt horrible for him, he'd never seen his new cousin so nervous.

"Age, calm down a little. The girls can sense when you are panicking, and believe me, unless you know you're gonna get lucky, it doesn't help. It generates this weird smell and everything; it just flat out makes you undesirable." Humphrey explained.

"Humphrey…" Age snapped at him, "I'm not getting 'lucky' tonight. It's only our first date, if something like that were to happen on our first date well then…that'd be strange, but still." Age continued to pace back and forth across the entrance to the den.

"Okay, maybe you getting lucky is a little farfetched, but still you can't be this way." Humphrey tried to explain.

Age and Hayley had agreed to meet at the top of the Lone Rock in the back part of Jasper so they could be alone. It was said they should be there at sundown, that way they'd have all night to spend together. Hayley was the one who suggested the time, and Age was the one who made the place. After his little conversation with Humphrey, Age stopped pacing and just stared at the setting sun until it was time to go. When it was finally set over the horizon line of trees and mountains in the distance, Age walked out, and then turned back to Humphrey.

"Wish me luck cuz, I'll surely need it." Age wished. Humphrey winked and then responded,

"In that case, good luck cuz. Bring me home a true Alpha…not that way of course." Humphrey giggled. Age just snorted and walked off towards the Lone Rock.

He had many mixed feeling about this evening, he knew that there was something special about this girl, but he wasn't quite sure what. He figured that this date would reveal that, even though wolves have just been murdered under mysterious circumstances, and the wolf that did it wasn't even remotely traced back, to anyone except Age of course, he still was going to make sure this was the best date he could give her, without getting lucky of course. Age was from New York, so he heard that term many times whenever he saw a friend or a relative go on a date and come back hung over. This meant nothing to him though, even though they just met he couldn't deny her a thing, so if she wanted to do something like that to a degree, he wouldn't be able to refuse.

Meanwhile, in Hayley's den, her mom was giving her a series of protocols to use throughout the evening. This bothered her to a very high level, the reason being that she knew this date was going to go well, and she didn't want her mom telling her how to behave, things would go perfectly fine, or so she hoped.

"And last but not least, if he makes _the move _on you, back away slowly and run for your life." Hayley shot her mom a look like, 'what's so bad about _the move_?'. "Sweetie, you're way too young to get pregnant, you realize that you couldn't even conceive right now. Geez, even if you guys did it all night long…" Hayley's dad came to her rescue.

"That's enough Honey, stop scaring her." Hayley breathed a sigh of relief; her mom was really making her feel uncomfortable.

"Thanks Dad…" Hayley said as her mom walked away in embarrassment.

"No worries, and you do realize that the only reason she said that is because she got the same lecture from her mom on her first date night with me right?" Hayley looked confused all of a sudden.

"She had _the move_ talk the night she went on her first date with you?"

"Yes she did, I was standing outside the den listening to the whole thing." Hayley's dad said. She just got wide eyed and shook her head. Then she looked down and sighed, "Ah, come on none of that. You said there was something special about this boy right?" Hayley nodded. "Well then just be yourself and he'll welcome you into his heart with open paws." She then picked up her head, and she noticed the sun had set.

"Well, I guess it's time. Wish me luck Dad; this is going to be a big night for me." She said and walked past him. Her dad thought for a second, and then called for her to stop.

"Hayley, wait…!" She stopped walking and turned around, "You're old enough," he said with a smile, "If he does make _the move _on you, do whatever you want. A date this important to you shouldn't have restrictions. Just don't get too carried away, you know what happens if you would get pregnant right now." He announced to her. She smiled, and ran back to her Dad and gave him a big hug.

"Thanks Dad, but I really don't think I'll need that kind of permission. Age is a lot more, gentle than that." She said looking away and thinking about him. Her dad didn't seem to believe her,

"Trust me, you will. Have a nice time sweetie…and please, be careful. That killer could be anywhere, but if you told us the truth, then this should solve it. Be good anyway…I love you." He grinned and licked her on the cheek, and then he when back inside.

Hayley turned away and ran towards Lone Rock. _Am I really gonna have to expect that he'll make a move on me? We just met, I wouldn't think he'd wanna be my mate that fast._ Hayley carried this all the way to the spot, and the whole time she was shaking with anxiety.

The last traces of light were leaving the sky, showing only the twinkling stars and the dark blue void above. Age had been sitting by himself for only a few minutes, and he had already begun to worry he had been stood up. But after another second or so, he heard rustling in the bushes nearby, and to his heart's delight, Hayley appeared. To him, she looked absolutely beautiful, more stunning than the bright crescent moon that shone above. Her fur looked like it was freshly washed, and she appeared to have groomed her fur with a pine cone, and she didn't even have a flower in her ear. To Age, she didn't need it, she was the most gorgeous without it, come to think of it he thought, she was the best without spiffing up at all.

"Hayley…wow. I think I'm in a dream right now." He said almost falling over. She was bothered by the fact that he let the blood stain his fur permanently like that, but she understood why he did it, so she let it go.

"Thanks Age, I know I'm in a dream right now. And it's the best kind too. It's the one where I'm standing here with that guy, and he'll give me the best date of my life. Something like this just can't be happening to a girl like me. I'm an Omega from the Western Pack. Hey, is that blood ever going to come out?" She said to him. He just smiled and shook his head.

"I don't think so, sorry. But Hayley, there's more reality to this than you think, come, I'll show you." He said and gestured her to follow him up the rock. He then had her sat next to him and put his paw on her own. And then he leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Look up, if you dare." He smiled and leaned away. She closed her eyes, and then she picked her head up, and opened her eyes. The whole night sky was showing with brightly gleaming stars, and the crescent moon in the mist of it all made it such a romantic setting for her. She then picked her head back down, and then whispered,

"And then best part…is sitting here with you Age. Thank you…I won't forget this." She said and leaned over and gave Age a huge lick on the side of his cheek. He blushed hugely, and then answered back with his own lick to her cheek. "Don't make me start chasing you for more." She teased. But Age seemed to like that.

"I think you're gonna have to." He said and jumped up and sprang away, Hayley just laughed and ran after him.

He was chased all around the rock, and once he got tired of running he let her catch him by standing next to a hill and leaning on his side. She pounced on him and then tumbled down the hill rolling and twisting until they found themselves at the bottom with Hayley on top and Age below. With Hayley standing over Age like this, she was forced into a gaze with him, and time just stopped. Age felt like he had to kiss her right then and there; Hayley had the same idea, and they both began to lean at the same time. As he was getting closer, Age got wide eyed, and he pulled back, and pushed her off and then walked a few feet away in despair. Haley was extremely depressed by this, she was worried she did something wrong.

"I don't think I can do it Hayley. Does a wolf like you really deserve to be stuck with a wolf like me?" He asked her in a profound voice. She was relieved that she hadn't messed up, and then she answered him with words that spoke for her heart.

"Age, you're right. I don't deserve to be stuck with a wolf like you." Age heard this and let his head fall, but she picked his head up and placed her paw on his cheek, and spoke right into his eyes, "I need to be with a wolf like you." She said right to him. They both simultaneously smiled.

"I hope it's not too early for me to say this, but…" Age was interrupted by Hayley, in the sweetest way.

"I love you too." She whispered. Age just smiled even bigger, and with her paw still resting on his cheek, they kissed, for the first time in both of their lives. **(Now's when you'd wanna change)**

After Age pulled away, he felt at home in the world, like he finally had something binding him to the ground. And it was this wolf who sat in front of him; he may have not known anything about true love, but he was sure that he was feeling it right now.

"Hayley…I just…thank you. Now I know what it feels like to be loved." She gave him a nice big hug.

"I feel the same Age, you're the best wolf there is. I love you, and I don't think I can say it enough." She said, squeezing tighter.

"So…I wonder what's left for us to do." Age wondered out loud. They kissed, they admitted they loved one another, and shared a beautiful night sky together. Suddenly a light bulb went off in Hayley's head.

"You know Age…" She said as she looked up from hugging him and returned to his face. "My Dad gave me permission to act as I want if you made _the move_ on me. But that's only if you do it to me, and we have all night yet." She pointed out.

Turns out Humphrey was right, he was going to get 'somewhat' lucky, not all the way though. "Alright…I'd love too, anything for you. You sure you wanna?" He asked her, he was so polite to her.

"I'm sure, just no mating, that'll have to wait until later." She giggled as she said the word.

"Deal…" he said, he then let her get on her back, and he moved over top of her, and he began to lick her neck.

The feeling was very pleasing to her, she moved her head all around so that he could get it all over. After he was finished with her neck, he moved down to her stomach. His tongue swept across her belly; causing her to moan with the warm feeling it was giving her. She also liked the tickle it gave her. The moment Age wasn't prepared for however, was when he was done with her stomach and belly, he found himself staring straight at her womanhood. She looked at him with loving eyes, saying that it was okay, and then she let her head go back down and waited for it. Age was beginning to sweat from the amount of hormones building up in his body, tension was driving him nuts, but still he found the courage to let his tongue fall out and give her womanhood a solid first licking. She shuddered horribly at the sensation it gave her, and it raddled up through her entire body. Age continued to lick up and down, soon enough he stuck his tongue into her. She moaned very loudly at this and climaxed right where he could lick it all up. It was a very funny taste to him, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

After that he fell down on his back, and Hayley got up, her back area still shaking from the shock it had just received, and moved herself right down to his wolf hood. Completely unsheathed and ready for gripping, she took it right into her mouth without hesitation. She began to bob up and down, soaking it in her saliva, that feeling enough was enough to make Age cum, but he wanted to let her enjoy herself a little longer. Her tongue swished out and around the whole thing, and soon enough, Age couldn't take it anymore and shot his seed into her mouth. This caught her by surprise, but regardless she tried swallowing some of it, and found it to be so sticky in her mouth, she couldn't enjoy as much as she would've liked.

The two then sat up and gazed into one another's eyes, their bodies shaking from the new sensations they had just experienced. It wasn't long before they locked into another passionate kiss, and they broke it to discuss one finally topic.

"That was amazing…the best I've ever felt." Hayley said right to Age's face. "By the way, you're a lot bigger than I thought you'd be." She giggled. Age blushed at her last remark.

"Thanks…and you are very tasteful yourself." She kissed him again. "When mating season comes around, I'm totally gonna ask you to be my mate. We'll have so many puppies and…" he noticed what he was babbling on about and covered his snout.

"It's okay Age…" she eased him, "Let's just sleep together for now, I'm really shaken up."

Age agreed and she fell asleep with Age next to her, his left arm draped over her shoulder and her cuddling up into his chest, all cozy and warm. Surely one of the best nights in their whole lives by far.

**So he didn't screw up after all. He almost did, but I don't think about things that don't happen. Sorry for the wooziness but with this couple in this world, everyone expects it. At least I warned you, regardless, they're sleeping tight in each other's paws and more in love than ever, what more do you want? There'll be love between Humphrey and Kate later, I just really wanted to do these two first!**


	9. Two More Dead

**My pardons for the last chapter, I know none of you would expect something like that from me. But they're in love, and it was a no rules date, how could I pass that up? At least all of you were warned, but that wasn't the lemon of this story, that won't come until later, much, much later.**

Better Than This

Chapter 9

Two More Dead

Between the two lovers, it was Age who awoke to the sunrise first, the first hear the birds sing. He sat up and groaned, he didn't know why, but his back and his front legs were hurting, maybe he just slept on them the wrong way. Then he turned to Hayley, his new love, and also his best friend; he was unable to understand that in the short time she knew him, that she had come to love him. Last night's events didn't matter to Age; all he cared about was her, she was it. She began to stir and groan herself and soon she rolled over onto her back and barely opened up her eyes and saw Age looming over her, she just smiled brightly like the morning rays surrounding them.

"That's the best thing I've ever seen first thing in the morning." She said quietly, she was still very sleepy.

"Likewise…" Age replied, gazing at her face and staring at her maw as she yawned again. "Do you need some help waking up?" He asked her, already having a way in mind.

"Yes I do, could you help me with that?" She teased him.

"How so…?" He asked her, but she just grinned and placed a paw on his cheek.

"Surprise me, you're good at that." Hayley answered and closed her eyes.

Age just leaned down to her and kissed her right where she wanted. Their lips were locked together and Hayley was already feeling more awake than she had. Age was still feeling like this was meant to be, he'd never kissed anyone in his life before, but he didn't wanna kiss anyone else. Age pulled away and looked at her, she seemed happy and up.

"Any better, are you feeling more awake now?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"So much, thank you Age." She smiled at him and he closed his eyes. "I shouldn't have waited…" Age opened his eyes and looked at her in confusion. "I shouldn't have waited to tell you how I felt. This is the happiest I've been in years." Age was the happiest he'd ever been as well, but he was still unsure about the events that occurred the other night.

"What happened last night Hayley?" He asked her, but she seemed as confused as he was.

"I don't really know. But…I do know, now that I think back on it, maybe we weren't ready. Thank goodness we didn't go _all the way_." She said, and Age was in agreement.

"Can we just forget about that please? It was a mistake; we were just caught in the moment I guess." Age told to his love, she was still lying on her back with him over her.

"Sure, of course, no one will ever have to know. Besides, I love you too much to let this kind of thing ruin what we have. I can look past it, I can look ahead." Hayley explained to Age.

Age helped her up off her back and then the two started walking home towards the main center of Jasper. During the first few minutes of walking, their tails were wrapped around each other's, but it made for uncomfortable walking. Hayley broke the twist and walked along side Age with a thinker's look.

"So what happens now?" She asked aloud.

"We go home, and we take care of Blood, I don't wanna think about what I'd do if he came after you." Age declared to her, and she blushed at his statement. She then leaned in, wanting another kiss, and Age was about to kiss her back, when speak of the devil,

"Oh, how sweet…" It was a terrible voice that could only belong to one wolf, Blood. Age and Hayley turned to him in horror, but the horror was mostly from Hayley. Age quickly stepped in front of her and growled, bearing his teeth at the wolf that stood several meters in front of them, his fur more blood-stained than his own.

"Go away Blood, if you come any closer I'll…" Age threatened him.

"You'll what my friend? Tear my throat out? You may have the skills, but you can't threaten someone for the life of you." Blood said and began to encircle them. Hayley crept up behind Age and whispered to him,

"Is that him?" Her voice quaking in fear,

"Yes Hayley, meet the murderer." Age said lightly.

"Are you scared?" Blood asked smiling and waiting for an answer.

"No…" Age answered him, and then Blood turned his gaze to Hayley and asked again,

"What about you my dear…are you scared?" He said, his walk was almost silent, and his lips began to drool blood. Hayley stepped up beside Age and looked at him before she answered.

"No…" She declared to him. Blood knew what to say, but he was amazed that she wasn't.

"Good…" Blood announced to them, and then he ran off into the woods.

"What was that all about? I thought he'd attack us for sure." Hayley wondered out loud.

"No, he won't. He couldn't even if he wanted to. See, we're both so advanced in fighting we'd be neck and neck, the fight wouldn't stop. We could go on for hours and a winner wouldn't be decided, that's why he doesn't attack. If he attacks you, he must go through me, and he can't make it past me." Age explained to his love, and she nodded.

"We had better get back then…" She said and then chuckled softly, "I still can't believe my parents even let me go on this date." Hayley laughed at the strange fact, "A killer on the loose and they let me have a night with a boy out in the middle of nowhere, that's really weird." Age laughed a little too, but then realized something.

"You weren't scared?" He asked her, and she shook her head. "How, when I first met Blood I was terrified, but I didn't let him see it." Age told her, but she smiled.

"Age, I saw the way you stood up to him. You weren't scared, and that made me realized, that if you aren't, then why should I be?" Hayley said in a tone that gave Age new confidence. Age was getting ready to respond when his nose picked up and new scent on the wind.

"Wait, do you smell that?" He asked her. She sniffed the air and shook her head. "It's blood, and it's coming from Jasper, why would there be…" His voice was interrupted by a very annoying voice.

"Yo, it's my lil bro! Returning from his humongous night, in which he got extremely lucky!" Of course it was J-Dog.

"Joe what are you doing out here?" Age asked his brother.

"Well, there has been another kill in this joint, and I thought dat you would be so kind as to, uh, check it out?" J-Dog said in his usual voice.

"Two more have been killed?" Age asked with question in his voice, and then he threw his head down and turned around. "How could I have been so stupid? I should've known he wouldn't keep his promise, and now two more wolves have been killed and it's all my fault!"

"Age please, stop blaming yourself…" Hayley said. "If we didn't di this only more of them would've died, you didn't have anything to do with it." She tried telling him. But he glanced at her and then looked away.

"Hayley, look at my fur. This is what happens when you're not good enough to protect those that you care about, whoever these two wolves were that were killed, they could have been saved." Age said and the let his head look down.

"Well if you feel that bad about it…" She started, "Then maybe you should go and check it out, I'll even go with you…if you want." Hayley offered in the nicest way. Age smiled and nodded,

"I want…" She giggled, and then he looked over to his brother, "Joe, take us there, pronto!"

"True dat, dis was bro!" J-Dog said and ran off with Age and Hayley following him.

When they arrived back in Jasper, every wolf looked like they were in a state of panic. Many were shaking as they walked; some looked like they were going to collapse on the spot. Age didn't know if they were scared of the blood on his fur or the fact that Blood had probably committed another bloody murder. "Over dere…" J-Dog pointed across the canyon to a den with about seven wolves outside of it. Hayley looked a little closer and screamed, and then she ran towards the den.

"Hayley…what's wrong?" Age yelled to her. She turned around for a second looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Age…that's my den…" She said slowly and ran as fast as she could across the canyon to the other side where the den was.

Age's mouth hung open, and he didn't know what to say. _He killed her parents…he killed her parents…_Age thought to himself, _what is he trying to accomplish? Why is he striking at her now? He just said, not twenty minutes ago he wouldn't attack her. _J-Dog's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Dude, I don't know 'bout you…but I think dis guy had got it in for ya." J-Dog seemed to actually be saying the truth. "I mean think 'bout it bro, he comes 'long, kills some peeps ya don't know, and then he go and takes out ya girl's mama and pops, dat's so serious payback." He stated.

Age didn't listen, he just ran down across the canyon and up the other side to the den surrounded by the wolves. Hutch was there and once he turned around he saw Age, and called him over. "Age this is worse than we thought, this den was rigged with a stone trap. If one den is rigged like this then what are the odds other are as well?" Hutch asked him. 

"I don't know Hutch, but this is getting to be out of hand. Tell Winston I wanna take my test to be an Alpha…now. I have to join the hunt for this guy and end this." Age told to Hutch. He nodded and before he walked off to carry out the orders, he turned to Age and said,

"When you do hunt down this wolf, may I have the honor of joining you?" Hutch asked, "I'm not scared of dying…" Age nodded.

"Yes Hutch, I'd be honored myself if you joined me." Hutch raised his head and then sprinted off to tell Winston. Age pushed his way past the wolves outside the den and walked inside, and his eyes closed immediately. Once he found the strength to open them again, he looked over the mess, rocks and stones were covering the ground and the bruised and beaten bodies of Hayley's parents lied in the rubble. Hayley was crying over her father's body and she turned around saw Age. The deb was a crime scene, blood was on the walls, and the leak flowed out on the path outside, the gravel on top of the two dead corpses was also stained slightly with the blood of the innocent. "Two more dead…" Age said and Hayley walked over to him and put her paws around him and continued crying. "That's a total of 13 wolves I could've saved but didn't. This has gone too far Hayley, this has to end." He said and then walked out, she ran after him and shouted behind him,

"Age…!"

"I'm sorry Hayley, but I have to take my Alpha test, it's the only way to stop this. I'm sorry I can't stay an Omega like you, I was going to, but pack laws are getting in the way again." He said and walked off, but Hayley didn't accept it and ran after him.

"I'll go with you…" She said and he looked at her funny, "There's nothing left for me here Age, you're all I have." She said quietly, Age nodded and together, walked away.

**If I was Age, at that point I'd go off and kill Blood anyway. Looks like at this point J-Dog is so bad after all, but with Hayley's parents dead, looks like the bond between her and Age is going to be tested. By the way, I'll put in a Moonlight Howl, but not until the end.**


	10. It's All For You

**This is a very important chapter, I'll say that. My goal is to make you tear up from reading this, and I hope someone will. Age and Humphrey are about to take their Alpha tests, and their girls aren't exactly happy about it, but it has to be done to stop Blood. Hayley truly loves Age, and so does Kate with Humphrey, and well…read…**

Better Than This

Chapter 10

It's All For You

Humphrey sat and waited in the canyon for the Alpha trainer and for Age. With him was his beloved Kate, the one wolf he'd do anything for. Kate was lying on her stomach, and Humphrey was on top of her, his head resting over hers. Kate sighed and rolled over onto her back, causing Humphrey's head to roll and land on her neck.

"Kate…is something wrong?" He asked concerned for her.

"Humphrey, do you see what is about to happen to us? You're standing here, waiting to become an Alpha, and the whole lesson we taught the pack will just evaporate. I love you Humphrey, and I'm thrilled you're becoming an Alpha, that's a huge accomplishment, but do you realize what it'll do to you? You'd have to give up all the fun and spare time with your friends, and you'd probably never get to see me, all Alpha schedules are different. But, that's not the worst of it, the worst part is…the loving, sweet Omega that I fell in love with will disappear, and he'd be replaced by a…rare, tough Alpha with no personal time on his paws. I'm worried he'd forget about me…" Kate's heart sank lower and lower as she spoke to Humphrey. He was also concerned for Kate; he knew fully well what becoming an Alpha would do.

After all, once you are an Alpha, there's no going back; a duty to the pack is taken once you pass the test. He was also aware that himself taking on this role would limit his spare time and he'd rarely get to spend any real time with Kate, except on his off duty days. "Kate…I don't want to become an Alpha honestly. Just the other day I said that I was your Omega and that'd always be the way things are. But this is far beyond anything we can control, the pack needs all the Alphas they can get to track down this killer, I have the skills Kate. I really need to ease this guilty conscious of mine and serve my pack in a just way." This was all Humphrey could truly say, it was like Blood was forcing him to do this.

"Wouldn't you feel even guiltier knowing that you died for nothing, that some homicidal maniac killed you and stole you away from me?" Kate asked him hoping the answer was what she had thought it was.

"Kate…" He said and picked his head up over hers, and then stared straight down into her eyes, they were watering, and Humphrey couldn't look away, his heart wouldn't let him. "This is for the pack, I'd do anything for you and I swore I'd always be there. When I come back, I'll give you anything you want, just name it, I will not say _if _I come back, the thought of not coming back to you is too much." Humphrey was sincere with his thoughts, and Kate knew what she wanted.

"Humphrey…when you come back, I want pups." Humphrey got the shock of his life in that moment. They had only been together for a matter of days and she was already looking to start a family, but like he had said, Humphrey would give her anything.

"Yes Kate…when I come home…to you…I will give you those pups. I shall not wait a second when I do, if this is my last promise, I swear it." Humphrey dropped a tear to the ground, and Kate picked up her head and pulled Humphrey into a kiss, this was unlike any kiss they had before. Kate didn't want to pull away, his maw was locked into his and she felt him smile as her lips were with his. Humphrey was in bliss, indeed he was smiling, but only for the satisfaction that he had finally given Kate everything that she ever wanted. He made a promise to finally make them husband and wife, the old fashion way, but he didn't care, this was what they wanted and the time arrived sooner than expect. A voice called out to Humphrey and Kate from somewhere nearby. Kate broke the kiss to see that it was Age, and his new love, Hayley.

"Hey cousin, having fun?" Age teased. Humphrey and the rest of the group had a good laugh about it after, and a few minutes after pointless chit-chat about Blood and the search, Hutch came down into the valley.

"Alright, who's first between you two?" Hutch asked in his deeming Alpha voice. Humphrey and Age looked at each other, and then Humphrey gestured to let Age go first. Age smiled and nodded at his cousin, and then walked in front of Hutch. "Alright Age, this is a very simple test. Usually, Alphas are trained over the course of the winter with hard exercise, and physical labor, but since you're new here, and you skills seem to be prompted enough, all Winston instructed me to do was…you have to beat me in a fight." Hutch declared, Age shot back and shook his head.

"But Hutch…you're one of my friends, I can't hurt you." Age complained, really not wanting to hurt one of his new and surviving friends in his new pack.

"You have no choice my friend, I didn't like it either, but Winston is the boss." Hutch said in a sorrowful tone and began to circle Age in attack stance.

Age wanted to back out of this so suddenly, but he knew he didn't have a choice in the matter anymore. He also started to walk in a smooth circle around Hutch, copying his movements in order to confuse him. When the instincts of his true blood side kicked in, all was seen ahead, Hutch already stood no chance. As soon as Age's senses enhanced and he caught wind of Hutch movements, the reaction was natural. The area around them, to Age's vision, was suddenly filled with blurry lines, and all he could really make out was his opponent and feature around the landscape to help him win. He was able to read the way Hutch moved, and determined that Hutch would straight out charge him and lunge with his teeth. Age stopped his movement, growling at Hutch, and as predicted, Hutch charged. **( I got a PM asking what Age saw while he was using his full blood wolf half, so this is what it looks like)**

His pure wolf blood boiled within his veins and poured into his reflexes and senses. The world around him slowed down, Hutch, to Age's sight, was running in slow motion, the ground lighting up wherever it was he was about to step. Age followed the movements across the canyon plain until the light stopped, indicating that Hutch was about to jump, Age swerved out of the way using his lower half to swing his body under the air borne Hutch, and then flipped over on his top and bit down on his neck. He drew blood and threw Hutch to the ground, he didn't move, but the bite wasn't fatal, and just like that, Age's test was done, he'd beaten Hutch.

Hutch got up from his defeat and rubbed the spot where Age bit his neck, he then groan and laughed. "Damn it Age, any harder and you would've killed me. Not only are you way faster than I thought, but you got some hell of a control on that jaw of yours." Hutch complimented Age.

"You alright bud?" Age asked his friend. Hutch nodded and looked over at Humphrey and Kate, but Hayley was looking away, she seemed disappointed.

"Humphrey…" Hutch called to him, and he perked up, "Since this bite is probably gonna put me out of commission for a few hours, your test instead will be this, last longer against Age than I did." Humphrey froze in place; he had to face his cousin!

Without much of a choice, Humphrey walked out to the center and took his place across from Age. He whimpered at his test, but Age wasn't allowed to go easy on him. Humphrey wasn't entirely sure to do as he waited for Hutch to get off to the side, his neck fur beginning to stain. "I'm sorry Humphrey, this isn't what I wanted." Age yelled to his cousin, and got in his fight stance. Humphrey nodded and took up his own stance, and then they began to circle one another. Before anything happened, Kate walked over to Hayley and found she was turning away because she didn't want Age to see her crying.

"Hayley…what's wrong with you?" Kate asked trying to sound sweet. Hayley only pointed to Age, and then to Hutch.

"If he can do that…then he'll never be left alone. Alpha everywhere will want to try fighting him, he'll never have anytime for me." She cried through her tears. "It'll be almost like we never met, and the peripheral wolf I met will just…"

"Disappear…" Kate finished for her, she nodded and continued crying as they heard Age and Humphrey begin to fight.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" She asked Kate.

"Because, I had the same feeling when I talked to Humphrey about becoming an Alpha; yes, at first you're worried you'll never be with the one you love again, but then you realize something…" Kate said and the growling was still heard behind them.

"What…what do you realize?"

"You realize that…no matter what they are on the outside, and to other people, they'll always be the one who you fell in love with on the inside." Kate explained to Hayley, and she wiped away one of her tears.

"You're right Kate, you really are. I can't believe I didn't see that on my own…" Hayley smiled and then was scared by a howl escaping Age's lungs from behind her.

She and Kate turned around to see one of Age's paws bleeding and Humphrey lying on the ground, the wind knock out of him. He wasn't unconscious, but there was the clear fact that he wasn't gonna get up without help. Kate ran out to him and picked him up under the chest and lifted him into a sitting position, while Hayley ran over to Age and started licking his bleeding paw.

"Humphrey, how'd you do that cuz?" Age asked, astounded at Humphrey; he managed to gather some breath and answered,

"I don't know, something just snapped and I went on a rampage."

"Well it was good enough for me…" Hutch said and walked over to the four wolves. "Congratulations, Age and Humphrey, you are both official Alphas of this pack. The search for Blood begins tonight at dusk, don't be late."

"I love you honey, good job." Hayley said to Age and they kissed. Hutch walked away to be treated and Kate and Humphrey just snuggled on the spot.

Late that night, Age and Humphrey's worst fear came true, it was finally time to join the search for Blood and his rigorous booby traps. The group was ordered to move off, but Age stopped them. They were ordered into three divisions, three Alphas to a group, Age's group contained himself, Humphrey and Hutch, as the other two groups ran off into the woods, Age stopped to talk to Hayley who, along with Kate, watched their loves leave.

"Hayley…I…if I die tonight, I want you to know a few things." He began, and she already started getting watery eyes. "If you hear any rumors…any at all…that I've been killed, you make sure you find out if they're 100% true or not. I don't want to live, and find out you killed yourself over a lie." Tears streamed down her face, and she nodded. "And if I come back, I will ask you to be my mate…" Hayley's ears perked up and her tears stopped. "I would rather love you, and have you in my life while still living, then have you forever in a void where I can't feel anything."

"I'll be waiting Age, forever, even longer if I have to…" She said and her tears returned, and Age was the one who pushed his lips up against hers. The feeling of kissing her was more tranquil than pleasing her the night before, and it was time they parted ways. "I love you Age, come back, please…" She begged.

"If I do, it will only be because I can't stand being without you for another minute…I love you too." Age whispered to her ear, and they hugged one final time.

"Age, we have to go…" Hutch insisted. Age stole one last look at Hayley, and the along with Hutch and Humphrey ran off into the forest, just as the sun was setting.

**Love always triumphs, that's all I'll say. Kate and Humphrey had their teary moment at the beginning of the chapter, and that's all for now…until next time. **


	11. When in the Dark

**Seems like the story is reaching and end right?...Wrong! The story isn't over yet, and believe it or not, the biggest shocks have yet to come. Keep in mind that this isn't meant to be supernatural, so there'll be no aliens or ghosts, just a highly advanced wolf with extra power on his side from some genes in his blood, nothing supernatural about that. **

Better Than This

Chapter 11

When in the Dark

Hutch kept himself close to the ground as he moved through the forest with Age and Humphrey. He didn't want to be the next wolf to suffer at the paws of Blood or any of his vial traps. After a while and nothing was seen heard or smelt, Age and Humphrey both became extremely suspicious to their surroundings. It was a point where even an Alpha with a reputation like Hutch's, would drop their macho attitude and begin to start worrying.

"So…why haven't we heard anything yet? You said this guy was out here right?" Hutch questioned the minute his worry got kicked on.

"He's out here Hutch, do not let your guard down." Age warned him. If anyone, Age knew Blood's techniques for taking down 'prey'. He waited until they wondered and wandered, then he struck, and by the time they had realized what happened it was far too late.

"Alright Age, if you say so…but I must ask…" Hutch began, and he caught the attention of Age and Humphrey, "What if he breaks that pack law you told me about, and tries to attack Hayley or Humphrey, or maybe even myself, or possibly Kate? What would you do then, what would any of us do then?"

"If he goes within 300 feet of Hayley, I'll…" Age growled stepping closer and closer to Hutch, making him back up, "Grab his tail, rip it off, watch his blood fly, and then I'm grab his neck, bite down so hard that he instantly goes unconscious, and then I'll gut him hanging upside-down, just like he did to Candu." Hutch and Humphrey both had very big eyes at his threat.

"Well at least you didn't threaten to tear his throat out." Humphrey commented with a smile. Age shot him and look, but then he just simply snickered and back off away from Hutch.

"Ha, alright true, I really am not that good at making threats; I use the same one on just about everyone." Age laughed and confessed. But Hutch was right there with statements of reassurance.

"Well truth be told Age, from what I've seen out of you, I'd be very scared of you if you said you'd tear out my throat. And do you know why?" Age shook his head, but Humphrey thought the answer was sort of obvious, "Because I know you're very well capable of tearing someone's throat out, and efficiently too." Hutch explained to him with a smile.

"Thanks Hutch, that's…settling." Age sort of staggered to get out, apparently he thought nothing of his own abilities, for he had them for so long he just did think of them anymore.

It was funny to them all though, for right after the little laugh they shared, both Humphrey and Age both caught wind of a sound in the distance. It sounded like a very softly patted footstep on the rugged terrain. Humphrey and Age's ears twitched in unison, and Age shot his head directly in the direct where they heard it. After Hutch caught on to what was going on, he gave them both a nod, and Age took point and proceeded cautiously in the direction.

"Step with the pads of your feet, it's the quietest you'll be able to move." Age whispered to them. Humphrey already knew this from chasing squirrels and sneaking up on Kate in the snow when they were in Idaho. He had a good understanding of how to sneak up on somebody, and it was coming in handy. Hutch on the other paw was taught in Alpha school to walk on the tips of his paws, it allowed for a quick and a silent step, but in this case, Hutch was obligated to do as he was told, yes, he did find it uncomfortable, but he noticed a huge different in the volume of his step. And the fact that his feet were aligned straight on the ground, he could move even fast than he would on his tips, without the risk of falling.

"Dang Age…" Hutch whispered to him, "This is working great, yeah, it's not the most comfortable way to walk, but I can barely hear my own footsteps, and I can move a lot faster too." He complimented Age. "Perhaps when all this blows over, you should train wolves to be Alphas, we never learned this kind of thing in Alpha School." Hutch was amazed even more by the fact that Humphrey already knew how to walk this way.

"Please, if you've been paying attention, just look at Humphrey. He already figured it out without spending long cold months and serious training, maybe if you want to train better Alphas, you all should loosen up a little." Age proposed to Hutch. He was surely a good Alpha, but these skills were something that Hutch never saw before, it was almost like Age was not only a good hunter, he was also meant to be a teacher.

"Yeah, you'd be surprised how much you learn about this kind of thing when you're playing games. Even when I log sled, it boosted my awareness of my surroundings." Humphrey also explained in a quiet voice as well.

It was all a huge shock to Hutch, Age was the decedent of master hunters and fighters, and Humphrey had the exact same, or almost the same level of talent as Age did by doing nothing except playing ordinary everyday games. Hutch started to rethink the whole system of Alphas, maybe they should change the way they're trained, and try to have some fun, with it. Being washed up and to concerned with responsibility could lead to bad things, as the pack had seen with Lily and Garth.

After that, the three prowled their way silently through the undergrowth and made their way towards the sound. Age and Humphrey lost the sound after they swore they got closer to it, and it started to concern them. "Where did it go? I just heard it!" Humphrey said at a normal talking volume, he wasn't worried about Blood finding them anymore. Age tried sniffing the air, and he caught the scent of blood, and it was very nearby, and when he turned around, Hutch was on the ground, bleeding out of his neck.

"Hutch, oh no, Hutch, are you okay? Come buddy, stay with us!" Age cried to Hutch, and Humphrey ran over and looked at the body; Age shook the body and Hutch opened his eyes and groaned.

"Oh man, that hurt like hell!" Hutch said with a smile and sat up, blood still trickling from the bite mark on his neck.

"What happened?" Humphrey asked.

"Well, I turned around because I caught the scent of a foreign substance, and then I felt a set of jaws clamp down on my neck. It was piercing my vocal cord, so I couldn't scream, after that, whatever it was just let go and took off, I fell, but it's not as bad on the inside as it looks on the outside." Hutch explained and rubbed his neck, causing blood to get on his paw.

"I bet I know who did this…" Humphrey said and sneered into the bush behind them. Age heard a footstep behind them, and the sound of liquid dropping and splashing, it was only a single drop, but he still heard it. Age snarled at it and spoke to the wolf behind him without turning around.

"You did this…didn't you?" Age said and then spun around, and oh and behold, Blood was there, sitting in a very innocent doggy position. Blood grinned slightly and nodded his head as Hutch and Humphrey turned around and saw him. Hutch stepped up and sat next to Age.

"You must be the infamous Blood I've heard about. I guess I have you to thank for the neck bite?" He said sarcastically. Blood just snickered and laughed out loud,

"Of course, I could've gone harder. I didn't though; I'm not allowed to kill anyone close to your friend here. He and I are of the same pack; therefore we can't hurt one another, that'd be breaking pack laws." Blood explained. But Age exploded onto the blood wolf for the last time, and this time, he wasn't the only wolf who had it.

"THAT'S IT! I DON'T CARE ABOUT PACK LAWS ANYMORE! FIGHT AND FACE ME YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Age screamed and lunged at Blood with everything he had.

Since Blood had the same DNA and prowess as Age, time slowed down for them both. Blood saw through Age's strike and twisted himself out of the way by flipping backwards and landing on his hind legs. After Age landed on the ground he charged and side stepped to try and fake out Blood, but Blood saw the ground alight went he was about to step, letting him turn and ricocheted **(I went through a lot of crap to figure out how to spell that word!) **off of a nearby tree. Age turned around saw Blood, but he looked different, in fact, he was actually smiling, and laughing. But he did let it faze him and he charged Blood once more, but this time, time didn't slow down, his senses wouldn't let him see what Blood would do, and before he knew it, Blood's teeth were sinking into his back, and he was thrown several meters away and landed on his head. He didn't move, he was knocked out cold, Blood only grinned, and then one of his eyes, as he looked back at Hutch and Humphrey who were now feeling considerable amounts of terror, they watched as one eye of Blood's changed from the light aqua blue color they both were, to the one on his left turn into a bright and penetrating orange color. Humphrey and Hutch stepped back at the sight and then, Blood's muscles grew bigger, and he increased by a small amount in size. He walked right up to them, but they refuse to move or show they were scared.

"He's crossed pack lines by attacking me…the ancestors have ceased his power and have given it to me. Let his injury serve as a warning to all…for now I shall not hold back. I'll kill everyone important to him, and I do mean everyone, and to start…" Blood's voice changed, it echoed with a very demonic sound to the sky and through the trees, Blood turned around and walked off, reaching into and another bush and sinking his teeth into the ears of six wolves head, he tossed them right in front of Hutch and Humphrey who backed up in fear. Hutch held his breath in disgust and looked at Blood, "From now on…be afraid of the dark…" He claimed and ran off into the woods. As soon as he ran off, Humphrey noticed that it was almost nighttime, the sun was almost gone from the sky, and Age was out cold on the ground will a waterfall of blood leaking from his back. Humphrey ran over to him while Hutch took a moment to look over the heads thrown at them. After he dropped his head, in sorrow, he walked over to Humphrey, and Age didn't look so good.

"From what I can tell, all Blood did was bite a major vain in his back, the blood loss knocked him out, but the fall on his head probably helped out too. In short, it's not as bad as it looks." Humphrey explained in relief to Hutch.

"Yeah well, we have a problem…" Humphrey looked at Hutch in anticipation while he worked Age onto his back. "Those six heads Blood just threw at us…those are the six heads of the other two patrols who went out looking for him. Looks like they found him, but the bad part is, all the heads were severed clean from their bodies it looks like. Blood must've set up more traps, and now he's got Age's skills as well as his own." Hutch was now in a panic state, but his Alpha pride kept it in.

"I'm not scared, the minute Age wakes up, we'll find him and hunt him down. For now though, let's just get Age back to our den. I'm Kate and Hayley will be glad to see the two of us." Humphrey decreed and walked off with Hutch, carrying the unconscious Age on his back.

**Age lost his pure bred wolf attributes? That's not a good thing, this means that Blood can pretty much strike anywhere he wants at any time. And with Age's genes transferred to Blood because he broke pack laws, now you'd think there's no one who can stop him, and who is Blood? There's no way that's his real name!**

**Also, will some please tell me if they knew how to spell ricochet before this? I had to go to , an online Thesaurus, and voice check it on my phone! Some please tell me I'm not the only one, let me know in your review or through a PM. Thanks and the story isn't over yet! **


	12. Of Course

**Not going to be much of an author's note one this one, all I'll say is…check this out.**

Better Than This

Chapter 12

Of Course

Lances of light started to pierce their way through Age's eyes and through his being. He saw nothing but a dark void with small traces of light shining through and making him stir. As he slowly managed a lifting of his eyelids to see the world around him, he found that, as little as he could see, he was in a cave. Judging from the light coming in from outside he assumed it was about 10 o' clock in the morning, and he also peered at a smaller wolf looming over him. The wolf then nudged their muzzle under his chin and helped him up into a sitting position. After he sat back on his hind legs and sat up, he felt the wolf bury their head into his neck and wrap one paw around his back and hug him tight, as sore as he was, he knew who it was.

"Hayley…you're alive…" He peeped out in a different tone than what he normally spoke in. She rubbed his neck and chin with the top of her head and nose and continued spoke to him without pulling away.

"I was so scared Age, you were brought back to me knocked out. You weren't breathing, and your back was a mess. What happened out there, Humphrey and Hutch didn't wanna talk about it." She asked him, trying not to disturb the serene aura that surrounded them in the moment they officially reunited.

Trying not to whimper, Age recalled everything in his head, quite vividly too. The chase, the strike on Hutch, him being betrayed by his own instincts, and the sudden black out after he hit his head. It was almost too much, but she had the right to know.

"I'm done for my love." Age whispered, and that was when she pulled somewhat away and stared at him in confusion and bewilderment.

"You're done for? What does that mean? Is Blood coming after you?" Age shook his head, and instead sighed as he took her by the paw and tried not to cry.

"I've lost my skills; I'm powerless to stop him now. I tried to fight him, and the perception I always had was just gone. I didn't see his movements, and I didn't know how to counter them, that's why my back was in the condition it was; he bit me and threw on the ground, and I was unable to catch myself from the fall." Some of the most painful words he ever had to tell anyone, but it had to be done.

"So you're just like…everyone else?" She asked in a concerned and shocked tone. He nodded, and Winston walked in out of nowhere with Hutch.

"Ah, finally…you're awake. Come one lad, that killer never rests, and we done want any more deaths here do we?" Winston was right, since the time Age was knocked unconscious, Blood had taken the liberation of taking another life, and by this point, there were only about twenty wolves left in the pack.

"I can't help you sir…"Age breathed out, almost falling to his side, but Hayley caught him and placed her paw on his forehead as he was laid on the den floor.

"Good, then well just be on our…" Winston realized what Age just said, "What do you mean you can't help us?" Hutch stepped in front of Winston and gave him the look of satisfaction.

"I told you sir, the blood wolf we saw somehow took Age's senses away from him and now he's got his own and Age's. I'm sorry to make it official, but Age is no longer any better at hunting, or prowling, or anything really then the other Alphas, maybe even he's got the skills of an Omega now." Hutch explained the whole story to Winston, but Winston refused to believe it.

Enraged and now losing hope Winston snorted and left Age to his condition with Hayley and Hutch. It was a very sensitive moment for Age, because for the very first time in his life he had felt like he was useless. Hutch turned around and looked at his injured friend lying on the ground with his love nearby, and after a quick glance between himself and Hayley, Hutch was keen on the problems at hand, and to him, it seemed as though the war had just taken a turn for the dire, or at least the current fight.

"I'm sorry Age, you were Winston's last hope, but now that you're like this, and with so few Alphas left to defend and hunt, we have no opinions left. He doesn't know what to do; I wouldn't be surprised if he blames the imminent death of our pack on you and your brother." After the sad truth came out of Hutch, Humphrey and Kate walked in and saw their harshly modeled friend.

"This isn't good…I knew it was bad, but I didn't know he was like this." Humphrey reminded himself, since he was there when Age was beaten, badly too. Age, without picking up his head, shifted his gaze to Humphrey and smiled, but everything was still aching.

"I…I'm glad you guys made it back. After I realized I was pummeled down on…" And everyone giggled, even Age himself, "I was nervous he'd kill you guys."

"From what Humphrey tells us, he almost did." Kate threw out, but right after retaliated, "Why would someone with Blood's reputation leave survivors?"

"Age tells me he only kills…mutts." Hayley answered, recalling what Age had told her before his trek into the dangers. "Or at least that's what he calls them."

"Mutts…? What do you mean by mutts?" Kate asked Hayley, but Humphrey came around with the answer first.

"Well, Age told us that Blood only kills wolves he says aren't descended from the real, pure bred wolves who lived a long time ago. According to Blood, as all the other dogs started to mate with the prime wolves, their heightened senses and abilities slowly faded away due to the genes in the lesser dogs. Somehow however, Age and Blood are still in possession of this pure blood, giving them the absolute edge over other wolves like us. The only thing is, wolves that still have this type of power can't fight each other, or else…" Humphrey finished and turned to Age.

"Or else the ancestors take away your power and give it to the opponent you were facing." Hutch finished for Humphrey and turned to Kate.

"Well that's not good, that means that Age is going to be unable to do anything more than we could against this threat." Obviously, Kate didn't hear the shpeal before when Winston and Hutch had the same conversation. Then, as if speak of the devil, J-Dog waltzed into the den and lit up with an evil grin.

"Hey…! My 'lil bro is doin' just fine! Dat's aight, okeyday then Immana be on my way, jist thought I'd be checkin' in on ya, das all, lata!" He came in, and went right back out. Everyone, expect Age, shook their heads and Hutch seemed the most content to spell out what everyone was thinking.

"I can never understand what he says…" Everyone burst out laughing hysterically, even Hayley had a good snicker at the funny remark. Hutch felt somewhat proud of his statement, now he knows what it feels like to be funny and loose once in a while.

But then out of nothing, Age tried sitting himself back and up. Hayley helped him out and was easily concerned for what he was trying to do. Age got up on his legs and tried walking, but he stumbled enough time to make everyone worried. He didn't care; he kept on going out of the den and then turned around to Humphrey and gave him the look of satisfaction and expectation.

"You know…what happens now. See it through…" Age breathed heavy, and at first Humphrey had no idea what he was talking about, but a summarization of the events in his head, he somehow knew what was about to happen. Humphrey bowed his head and told everyone to leave, no knowing why, but out of respect, everyone departed and Age walked, hardly walked really, but limped his way out and continued into the open where everyone could see. Hayley ran up to him, she was starting to tear up, she was upset because she felt Age was pushing himself and in this condition, he was in no position to try something like this.

"Age what are you doing?" Hayley pleaded to him, but he looked at her and he kept going, walking down into the canyon and resting himself on the stone tablet where wedding took place. Hayley walked up to him and just stared, but just then, she noticed there were dozens of wolves around them, almost like the whole pack was simultaneously watching whatever it was he was doing. "Age…what's going on?" Humphrey peaked out of the crowd and nodded his head and waited, just like everyone else. Even Garth was watching from the rim of the canyon, he hadn't left Lily's side the whole time. Everyone was quiet, no one made even a single sound, the time was scaring Hayley, but she felt some kind of warmth in her heart.

"I know…that this is probably very uncomfortable for you right now, but I have to ask you something." Hayley nodded her head, and awaited Age's question. "But before I do, I just wanna say…" She got excited, and her tail started wagging, while Age's was shaking while nervousness and fear. "Hayley, I love you, with my whole heart, soul, body, mind…and other important parts of me that can feel love." She giggled at his attempt to try and say his feelings; it was still entrancing to her. "And…I got this feeling that, when you feel this way about someone, no matter how long you've known them, that it is an omen of something."

"Oh Age; I feel exactly the same way. There just something about you that I feel I wouldn't be complete without." Hayley said, going up to Age and wrapping her paws around his back and burying her face into his side.

"I know Hayley, and I plan on fixing that right now." Hayley pulled away a little, and stared at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Hayley asked.

"I mean this…" he said and kissed her deeply, she returned the affection and once he finished he looked her right in the eyes and asked, "Hayley…will you…make me the happiest/luckiest wolf in Jasper…by…by becoming my mate?"

The look in her eyes was astonished, awe, excitement, shock, love, and other assorted positive emotions a girl should feel when they're proposed to. Hayley couldn't even pretend to think about it she wanted to say 'yes' so badly. "Of course Age, I'm yours, and I always will be. I love you."

When they kissed once more, the whole pack went wild and howled in excitement and congratulations. Even J-Dog, as annoying and self-centered as he was, cheered his little brother on and hooted and hollered. Humphrey placed his paw on Kate, and they snuggled whilst they watched as Age and Hayley began to walk through the crowd of wolves. Age had a smiled on his face that could bring more life and light to a planet than the sun, and Hayley was crying so many tears of joy that the sun Age cast would have plenty of blooming plants growing on in. In a way, one could say that together, they were already creating a world of their own to live and to love on. The proposal was done, and she had said yes, Age was now going to get married, and Hayley was going to have a family once more.

A set of distant eyes watched the whole event from a shadow, peering through, and penetrating the joy everyone felt in the moment. "So…you still have some fire left in you?" Blood maliciously said and left his blood struck fangs drip onto the green grass he stood over. "Well then my little friend, seems you've shown me…who I should target next…" He cackled loudly and then ran off around the corner of trees, prowling low and standing clear of the now dispersing wolves. He saw Age and Hayley talking to Kate and Humphrey, and he only grinned once more. "Now that I've got your power, you'll not be able to stop me, not this time Age. Your new betrothed… is dog meat…" He said and crept ever closer to them.

**Uh oh…**


	13. Fang VS Heart

**So Age and Hayley are finally engaged, and Kate and Humphrey are falling even more in love. Just in case you missed something, Humphrey keen senses are still there, but he hasn't really had to use them, until now. This chapter will be more about Kate and Humphrey than Age and Hayley. Hutch has been brought into this, and it seems as though Blood has his next target.**

Better Than This

Chapter 13

Fang V.S. Heart

Blood slowly lingered his way towards the unsuspecting Omega. She was so busy talking to Kate about wedding plans and snuggling with Age that there was no way she could've seen him sneaking through the brush and slinking his way past the other wolves who were returning to their duties and games. If she would've seen, the outcome wouldn't have been much different, but Blood didn't wanna take any chances. Being sly enough, he snuck all the way to the rocks and shot a glare at the four young dogs talking amongst themselves. He let out a very, very low pitched growl, and this was his fatal mistake. Humphrey's ear twitched at the sudden noise, as slight as it was and quickly stood up and walked about a little.

"Humphrey…what's wrong?" Kate asked him, following after him. Humphrey put his nose to the ground and started sniffing.

"I smell something, and I could've sworn I heard a noise. But…I wasn't really sure what it was." Seconds after, Humphrey guts told him to move Hayley out of the way of where she was sitting, for a dangerous force was about to strike at her from the northern set of rocks, at about 30 degrees, central throat attack.

And he did just that, time slowed down and Humphrey back-flipped over his head and knocked Hayley off her feet and then side stepped to move out of the way. Just as Humphrey jumped, Blood charged out and bore his fangs, sharp and leaking venomous blood, wide open maw, with teeth yearning to latch on to Hayley's throat. Blood watched as Humphrey jumped up and pushed her out of the way and moved aside to watch himself fall as he lost his balance when he gripped nothing and fell on his face. Blood skidded across the canyon floor, both Humphrey and Hayley breathing heavily, and out of pure shock, and the fact that he was impressed, Blood got up and laughed. Age stood in awe and in anger, he wasn't quite sure what Blood just tried to do, but he wasn't about to stand for it.

"Blood…" Age yelled, and every wolf nearby turned their heads and saw the red wolf standing in the center of the canyon, everyone gasped, this was the first time anyone besides Age, Humphrey, Hutch, and Hayley saw the killer. They all hid and continued to watch from a safe, or what they thought was a safe distance, and Winston ran to the edge with Garth and stared down at the confrontation. "So, the killer finally shows his ugly, blood stained face."

"Why thank you…I take pride in the blood in my fur, it's a symbol of how many useless dogs I've ridded the world of." Blood exclaimed, proud of what he considered an achievement, "And there would have been more blood on the fur here if your wolf friend over there didn't pushing your lovely fiancée out of the way." Age was sickened by Blood, yet again. But then he stopped and realized the two things that Blood just said.

"You…wait, did you just called Humphrey a wolf?" Age asked in surprise, and Blood nodded as confident as he was, "And did you call Hayley…lovely?" Blood smiled and nodded again.

"Your friend here is a wolf just like I am, and just like how you used to be, before you lost yours. And yes, your love is very stunning, it's a shame such a beautiful young wolf has to die." Blood said and walked up to Hayley and brushed along her side, Age was powerless to do anything, he was still weak.

"Leave her alone Blood, I could care less if I'm not a real wolf anymore, if you mess with her you'll be in the river!" Age threatened.

Blood was about to respond when the world stopped, and he saw a glow behind him, and swiftly did a barrel roll under the glow to see Humphrey try to pounce on him. Humphrey then charged at Blood, and Blood ran at him too, unable to avoid confrontation, Blood bore his fangs and ran at Humphrey howling, and Humphrey sneered at blood and growling, it was a side of him that no one had seen before. Humphrey leaped into the air and bore his own fangs and tried to get a grip on Blood as soon as he was close enough, but their instincts go in the way and made them both evade their foe's plan and they rolled out of the way.

"You've violated pack law by attacking one of your own, now your pure blood will be given to me, just like Age." Blood reminded him, and then cackled very loudly so everyone could see Humphrey's mistake. As he finished dark clouds began to swirl in around the two foes, thunder boomed in the sky and lightning struck the ground around them, like it was being attracted to something. Blood boasted out laughing his bloody head off, but no one was paying attention, everyone was so concerned and amazed with the clouds and the transfer that was about to go down. Kate shot a look to Humphrey and yelled at him over the now shearing winds.

"Humphrey…what's happening?" Kate screamed with her fur blowing over in her face and pushing her to the side, almost making her fall. Humphrey stood his ground like the Alpha he now was, and held fast against the oncoming 'storm'.

"I'm not sure, but if the same thing is happening to me as it is to Age, we are in a lot of trouble." He managed to make her hear over the gusting winds which whipped through his fur and pierced his ears. Hayley found the courage to run over to Age and grabbed him with both of her fore paws and held him close, she was starting to cry, but in this case, what Omega wolf wouldn't?

"Age…what's going on? Is Blood gonna gain Humphrey's power?" She asked fully knowing that that's how Age lost his abilities. Age noticed there was a voice tearing through the winds and hitting his ears like the beating of a human drum, it fired with the sound of a gun, and then he saw Humphrey twitch, he'd heard it too. Age didn't fully understand what the voice had told them, but they both knew that Blood was in for a real surprise.

The clouds stopped circling around the wolves in the canyon and they faded completely allowing the sun to shine its wonderful, illuminant rays once more. Blood ceased to laugh and stepped closer to Humphrey, feeling more powerful than ever, but Humphrey stood him ground and didn't move a muscle. Blood grinned without his teeth for once and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why don't you run? It's over…your power, your history, it's all mine now…"

"WRONG SNAKE!" Age yelled at him and let Hayley go and ran up to him. Blood turned around and Age stopped about three meters in front of him. Humphrey then began to assist Age in encircling their common enemy and the three growled.

"You are the most persistent dog I've ever seen, I respect that Age. You and your cousin over here are without a doubt the two most formidable foes I've faced in a long, long time. This however, doesn't excuse the fact that both of you are going to die on this day." Blood told them, him constantly checking his surroundings for a possible move, not that it mattered, he could always see it coming and dodge it. Age snorted with his leaking nose, leaking with sweat and anger that is.

"The only one dying today is you Blood, this is the last time you say, and the last time you break anyone."

"But I possess the skills required to beat me, and you have no such things, not anymore anyway. You lost yours yesterday, Humphrey lost his just now."

"Wrong…!" Humphrey interrupted, "I didn't lose a thing, I'm still as much a wolf as Age is, and believe me when I say, I'm also as much a wolf…as you…" Blood never felt fear, but this scared him for reasons he couldn't explain.

"What…this isn't possible!" Blood said as he felt himself suddenly grow weaker; his extra portions of power were fading, draining away, and guess who they were going to? The essence of the energy was coming off of Blood and evaporating into the air, not claiming anybody, just vanishing. "The power…! What have you done to it you mongrel?" Blood accused Humphrey of committing his treachery.

"I didn't do a thing Blood, it's all on you. You've doomed yourself." Humphrey shot back at him, in that moment, Age felt his old strength come back to him, his muscles stopped aching, his head didn't feel so heavy, and his pride as a real wolf came back in an instant. Age lifted up his head and grinned to Hayley, and she was aware of his transformation. The feeling of joy was overwhelming her, and it felt even better than the two of them pleasuring each other the other night. Fearing for his life while at the same however, Hayley's nervous face returned.

"How can this be? You attacked me! You should've lost your power, you broke pack law, and you should be the one suffering!" Blood yelled as everyone watching suddenly became very interested. "This is fair!" Blood kept yelling to the sky and to the dogs around him.

"Guess who's back and better than ever you fuck head…" Age stated loud and clear to his rival. Blood spun around and was shocked as anyone to see the sudden muscle to Age's limbs and body, his fur was not as light and shriveled up as it was, it had returned to its very sleek light gray color, with pure white forelegs and a black tip on the end of his tail. His black nose and angry face shown in the now shining sunlight, and anyone nearby could tell that he was pissed. He stalked up to Blood with blood-rage in his eyes, now Blood was wasn't the only wolf there out for….well, blood. He would've pounced upon Blood's head right then and there, but he didn't wanna make it so easy. There was a look of dumbfounded-ness on Blood's face, it was understood that he didn't know why he had lost his extra power. Age saw this, and gladly stepped in.

"Still clueless huh?" Blood turned back to him after still gazing around, even though he had been robbed of his bonus abilities, the wolf senses he possessed on his own still made him a dangerous opponent. "Well to me honest my friend," Age started, turning the tables on him and making it sound nonchalant, "I'm as ignorant as the rest of them, but in my best guess…" He began to start speaking sarcastically, "You got my attributes, but the thing is, since you abused them and used them for evil and blood-shed, the _ancestors_…" He said with a lot of emphasis, "Must've not approved of this, and have restored things to the way they were. Satisfied with yourself?" But another voice broke out, and this one was one that no one expected to hear.

"Yes…I am." Everyone turned to the crowd, and a single dark brownish wolf was strutting through the pack and looking around as he did. He came out and walked past Age and Humphrey right up to Blood and the two grinned at each other. Age had a look of abomination and violation on his face.

"J-Dog…I should've guessed." Age said deeply and slowly. Hutch ran up beside Hayley and yelled,

"How is that possible? We were monitoring that dog the whole time; in those days he never went anywhere, how could he have collaborated with the killer?" Hutch was right in his question, even Winston came down from his perch and walked next to Age,

"Psst…Age…Hutch is right, your brother was under constant surveillance, he was the first one we suspected of being the killer and he never did anything." Age shot Winston a look of disappointment and gross under-satisfaction.

"He's a wolf, I'm sure he can do that kind of stuff, make a doppelganger of himself to trick us."

"How right you are little brother…" J-Dog said and he looked at Blood, he then grinned to himself, and tried to step into himself.

He placed his front paws into Blood's and then got his head into the right place and once something lined up with its corresponding part, it locked in place and shook around as one body, J-Dog worked his back legs and tail into the proper places and once they were in they were locked. This new wolf, which to everyone was actually just J-Dog, the real J-Dog, had combined features from both of the maniacal wolves it was made from. It had Blood's dripping fangs and his blood-stained fur, and it had J-Dog's naturally brown fur color and his New York accent. To everyone's surprise, he wasn't speaking in his really goofy/stupid voice anymore, they all assumed it was just a con to try and fool them.

"And…I'm off…" J-Dog said and his body turned into a dark mist that faded into the ground and was gone. Age was the most stunned, but no one knew what to say or think.

**Please tell me someone guessed it! Of course J-Dog was the killer, in case you missed something, J-Dog is the same wolf as Blood, Blood is just another version created from J-Dog using his abilities as a real wolf. Humphrey is a real wolf too, yes, that's right. And of course, Age got his real power back, I think I over used the word "blood" in this chapter. Oh, and in case any questions are asked, **

**Ignorant – The state of not knowing or not being informed. **

**Use the word right people…!**


	14. Heartstopper

**So yes, I do tell you all about grammar and use the word ignorant and everything, but it was out of the best intentions. Because quite frankly, I'm sick of people misusing the word, and the story is about to take a huge turn and I really did not want to get supernatural with this; however, it just seemed probable. It was there, and so I used it, if you've got a problem with that then, you can…stop reading the story! Yeah, that you can do, so it seems to me that Age is engaged to Hayley, J-Dog is the killer, Candu's dead, he had his guts spewed all over the ground, wonderful right? Kate and Humphrey are starting to drift apart because Humphrey is an alpha now, and that just about sums it up. I wonder who's going to die next…oops I may have said too much…**

Better Than This

Chapter 14

Heartstopper

In the moments that followed through revealing of J-Dog, no one in the whole park knew what to think. Some were feeling terror, others were feeling petrification, some were just in sheer pain, and yet others were surprised. But all in all, the overall feeling was not good. I figured that would be obvious judging by all the looks on their little dog faces; with the exception of course from Age and Humphrey, because you know they are actually wolves. Even Hutch was at a loss for words, and he usually had a bunch of stuff to say, and he wasn't even an Omega! Kate was frozen stiff with shock, not so much fear, just shock and then as if on cue, a clap of thunder shook the surrounding area overhead scared everybody half to death. It also knocked them out of their stone phase. Of course, Winston was stunned the most of all, if anything it's more like being mad angry then stun, especially since he'd been outwitted by a fool. Well how would you feel if you got outsmarted by some New York dog?

Age seems like he knew what he was doing. His eyes blinked once after the thunder, but then he felt the raindrop fall on his paw. It was a good feeling, like something he needed. "I think… I think we should… get out of the rain, it's no good for us." Winston nodded his head and everybody was, well I don't think I should be using the word disturbed, because that would be nice, everyone was more like rushed back to their dens; everyone except for Hutch, Humphrey, Kate, Age, Hayley, Winston, Eve, Garth, and Lily. Lily was still in her coma, and Garth hadn't left her side, but he had seen who J-Dog really was, so when Winston, Humphrey, Kate, Age, Hayley came back into the den, he just had to say something.

"Really…? That coyote was the killer the whole time? I don't believe… how could we let something that stupid slip through our paws?" Winston shook his head in disappointment, disappointment in himself that is.

"I don't understand either Garth, but that monster has caused enough havoc in this park. This kind of thing is not going to happen, to not to my pack." Hayley couldn't help but hear Winston's sad story to himself, and seeing as how she was Blood's newest victim, or almost victim, she thought it was about time she stepped up; this was because she felt sorry for Lily, and Winston.

"Sir…" She tried to say, but just look in Winston's eyes scared her. "Age and I might know a way to beat him, but were going to have to ask for permission to bring Humphrey, Kate, and Hutch with us." The facts were true, on the way walking back into the head den, while also in the rain, Age and Hayley were talking about everything Age knew about J-Dog, his strengths, his weaknesses, soft spots, and of course, his attitude. Winston just snorted however,

"What makes you think I'll send my little girl out there and my future son-in-law? Not to mention my top Alpha, and your love, like you'd even risk the life of your future mate?" Winston was wrong with his accusation, the whole thing was actually Age's idea.

"Sir Winston, I really don't think it's your place to talk my fiancée that way," He was determined to defend her, even from someone like Winston, "It was my idea. I know J-Dog better than anybody…well maybe not as well as I thought because I didn't know he can do that, but I think you're going to see so long is me and Humphrey are out there, I guarantee J-Dog won't even get near them, because he can't."

Winston was about to say 'no' when Garth pushed him aside and looked Age directly in the eye and demanded "You go out there and kill that mother fucker and you avenge Lily, you got it Wolf boy?" Proudly and assuredly, Age nodded his head, turned to the exit but before he went anywhere Humphrey and Kate walked up to Winston, Eve, and Garth.

Kate was with her Mom and said, "I'm sorry if I ever did anything wrong and I forgot to apologize for…" She was stopped halfway by Winston,

"Don't get all sentimental on this Kate, it makes me feel like you're going to die." At that last remark, both parents hugged gigantic hugs and backed away, Humphrey then walked up to Garth and said,

"Nice to have a brother, I just want you to know that." Garth just nodded very sincerely, smiled, and then gave Humphrey and nice paw bump, to which they giggled a little bit. As Age and Haley walked out into the pouring rain with Humphrey and Kate, the following Hutch just turned around and gave Winston one last salute, and left without a word.

Once out of the den they tried formulating a plan but nothing seemed like it was going to be effective, and they would know by this point. They've seen a bunch of things Blood can do, but now that he and J-Dog were combined they didn't know what they were in for. Because if he was that powerful and keen split into two, the thinking alone made them quiver as to what he could do as one. Humphrey stopped walking and let himself feel the droplets of rain fall on his fur and run down his nose. The serenity sent blast waves of thought through his being and when Kate noticed he stopped, she looked right at him and whimpered. His head was looking down, and he was watching the drops fall off his nose and hit the ground, this was coupled with heavy breathing, but Kate was sure he was just having a moment.

"Humphrey…?" She spoke aloud, and all the group members turned to see Humphrey in his serene position. Age took a notice to his stance, like he was defending from something. After a few seconds without a response, Kate went back to Humphrey and tucked her head up his chin and lifted his head up. "Humphrey…what's wrong?" She was looking at him directly in the eye, and he was looking back, but all the Alpha could say was,

"We need to find a place to talk, the five of us." She nodded in approval, and her ears perked up like she got an idea. She smiled at Humphrey, and he seemed to know what she thinking.

Together the two walked in front of the group of the five wolves; they were on their way to Kate and Humphrey's soon to be den, the cave in the forest away from the rest of the pack. As they walked, the rain and rumble of thunder with the occasional flash of lightning in the sky seemed to mirror how they all felt. It was up to these five wolves to take down one, extremely skilled, supernaturally talented wolf. The team mates didn't have such confidence in themselves. After all, it was composed of very unlikely players to the game of hunter and hunted, figuratively of course.

Humphrey, Omega his entirely life and just recently becoming an Alpha due to his pure wolf blood; he nearly sacrificed his love with Kate to protect the pack from J-Dog and Blood, but he was still a goofy, clumsy Omega at heart. Kate, the best trained Alpha in a long time and an expert at physical weaknesses and perception, she was a valued part of the group. But her instincts as an Alpha always pushed her to do what was best for others and never thought of herself, this was her greatest weakness, and it nearly cost her her love with Humphrey. Hutch, the top Alpha of his patrol team, and one of the finest Alphas Jasper had ever seen, was really not qualified to be a member of this team. But he'll fine that when the time is right, all his skills, especially in hunting and tracking, would become of use to his 'family', he really refuses to admit that he never knows what he's really fighting for. Hayley, Omega from birth and still as so up to this day, she has no skills other than goofing around and playing games. But Humphrey trained himself by playing games in the harsh winter, so over her pup years she very well might've learnt a trick or two. If all came to worst, she could always get some fast training from her future mate, Age. Not so much the leader, but more it's motivation, Age was as shy as he could be until he arrived in Jasper. Sharing in his family's pure wolf blood, he along with Humphrey, has advanced skill, both physically and mentally, most likely making him the most valued member. He's also J-Dog's brother, so living with him must have some contribution.

By the time the cave way came into sight, all five party individuals were soaked, dripping what could turn into rivers if they laid down long enough. As the made a quick and final dash to get out of the rain and ran inside Hayley was the first to shake wildly and get herself mildly dry. After everyone dried off and took a rest, Hutch snorted, trying to get their attention. "Are we just going to let that stray mongrel walk freely around our home? Or are we gonna formulate a plan?" Hutch was very rude, but he was right. In the time in had taken them to walk from the main den, to Kate and Humphrey's, to dry off, and to rest, was around an hour and a half in human time. The all sat in a circle inside the cave and at no one said anything, but then the thoughts began to flow.

"What if we flush him out of the park using fire?" Hayley spat out, but no one said anything. "Right…of course, he can turn into smoke and…" Everyone stared at her, "Disappear into…the…ground…" She finished completely embarrassed. She suddenly realized herself that it was a stupid plan. No one spoke again for more time, but soon Kate began to grow restless.

"I fail to see why we're even having this conversation! J-Dog is a…he's pretty much a wolf god! He can do everything an Alpha can, just ten times better! He knows his way around the wolf body, where all our pressure points are, he's probably even using his keen hearing to listen to this conversation!" Kate was yelling, but she was speaking very loudly. She was speaking the truth, but no one wanted to admit it. Age had heard enough, so it was his turn.

"That may be true Kate, but if we don't do anything then we won't have a plan. And even if he hears it we could just change it as we go along. There's no need to get stressed, we'll all make it out of this, or you can have my head." His offer wasn't serious, but she understood what he was saying.

"So then…?" Humphrey said into the fray, "What's the plan cuz?" He asked his cousin.

"I was thinking that…well first and foremost, we have to stick together. No wolf left behind, even if Joe claims that me, him, and Humphrey are 'real' wolves. Second, I was thinking something along the lines of this…" Age began by tracing with his claw in the dirt of the floor of the den.

And Age told them everything he knew about J-Dog, every last detail. And with this information they put together and mild plan, it wasn't very good in all of their agreed opinions, but it was the best that they had. **(See…not even you know, that way you can't tell J-Dog!) **After the entire plan was set and confirmed, Hutch's ear twitched and he sniffed the air. "Hey guys…look…" The other four wolves gazed outside the cave and were awe struck. The whole time they were talking about this attack, the thunderstorm outside and the grey skies never ceased to fade, but a few minutes after they were officially done and were on their bellies just relaxing for the moment, because they all got headaches thinking of a strategy taking into consideration all of J-Dog's tactics and abilities, Hutch made them look and they not only heard that the rain had stopped, but the night was quiet, and the northern lights were shining. They danced in the moonlight sky and beckoned for them to come out and look, but they knew better than to do that. The lights were astonishing, but in times like this, these moments never last. Out of a sudden crackle of a bush, and nooby wolf scout came rushing to them, out of breath.

"Kate…Kate…!" He yelled, and she rushed out.

"What's wrong?" She asked with her friends backing her up.

"It's your dad Winston, he's dying!"

Everyone's eyes widened, and without a second chance, everyone one of the five ran right past him and headed for the lead den. As the last one disappeared, and the messenger was left alone, he stopped breathing heavy and sat upright, for he was faking it. A dark smoke formed around the tip of his tail and engulfed the rest of his body, and when it faded, J-Dog was in the wolf's place, he had tricked them yet again. "Just a little taste of the upcoming storm…" He muttered before letting out a snicker, as more than one drop of blood dripped from his fangs.

**My apologizes for the long update, but I was recently on vacation and I have to get back into the swing of things. If there are any questions on what's going in the story, review or PM me and I'll answer. To make up for this long wait I also posted a "Madagascar" one-shot with Alex and Gia just for you. I'll update sooner I promise, and the song of the story is near as well! **


	15. A Leader's Speech

**I'm updating super-fast using Dragon, I love this system! This'll be my fourth update in only 3 days! But all whack jobs side, I really need to pick a story and finish it. And all honesty, it'll probably be this one. So as you remember from the last chapter, Winston was dying, but from what…well if you've been reading this story at all you should able to figure it out. I tried to make this as emotional as possible, so read and try to imagine yourself being there.**

Better Than This

Chapter 15

A Leader's Speech

Whether this was another trick by J-Dog or whether Winston really was dying, Kate and Humphrey along with all the other members of their takedown strike team, didn't want to take any chances. They rushed along as fast as they could, getting several splinters and roots in their paws and legs as they made their way through the underbrush. Hutch was definitely feeling down about this, Winston was his Alpha all his life, from the time that Hutch was a pup, to when he went to his Alpha training, and then even after, Hutch always answered to Winston and no one else. So if he really was about to say goodbye to Winston, it would be the first time he showed any sort of emotion in a long time. As they hurried toward the Alpha den the only thought going through Age's mind was that J-Dog must've somehow been behind this, and if not, he probably split itself into two halves again and let Blood do his dirty work for him. Either way J-Dog was going to pay for this if they were about to lose Winston forever, and Kate had a hard time running back to the den, once they got there the tears were flooding her eyes.

When they ran in they were surprised they didn't throw up, blood, probably Winston's, was scattered, spewed, over all the walls and ceiling. One of his rib bones was sticking out of him, and his chest had been torn open. it was amazing that he was alive. "Daddy…!" Kate cried out to see if her dad could hear her, his ear twitched and his head moved very slightly, it was obvious that he was still there, but not by much.

"Kate…" He breathed out, he never picked up his head, and he moved what looked like to be less than a centimeter, and even when he managed to, his mouth leaked more blood and trailed its way out and added itself to the pond on the floor, "It was J-Dog…"

Age heard Winston say that any automatically knew who he was gonna find today. As Age turned to walk away, Hutch stopped him by padding on his back, and when he looked to see what Hutch wanted, Hutch pointed back to Winston. Age then looked back inside the den, and Kate was looking at Age as well, apparently Winston wanted to talk to him, about what, he had no idea.

He walked over to Winston, or what was left Winston, and spoke to him and the gentle, most quiet voice he could muster, "Yes sir?" He asked him.

"Look Age…" He tried speaking, but only a cough came out, and of course more blood, "I want you to ensure the safety of my pack. Tony is still out there and he's in charge, but until J-Dog is stopped, I want you to lead the hunt team. I know you you're the only one who can stop him."

Age didn't know what to think. The head Alpha asked him to stop his own brother, how could he do that? But it was Winston's last wish, and J-Dog was threatening everybody that he'd come to care about, "I'll do it sir…for you…for Jasper…"

Winston smiled the best he could and laid his head back, he stole a last look back at the Kate, "I love you sweetie…make me proud…" Kate's eyes were no longer watering, now she really was crying as her father then died right there in front of her. Garth hadn't said anything but he was there inside the cave, he stood up tall and proud, trying to hold his feelings in and walked over to the five members of the team. He looked directly at Age and said,

"He put you in charge, take down your brother, now…"

"I know, and I will…" Age replied, the time was drawing near, Age held his head down, Tony was the other head Alpha of this pack, but as of right now he was in charge. With nothing left to do, leaving his head down, he inhaled, closed his eyes, stood back up, turned towards the exit and left.

He reopened his eyes when he felt the light of the moon hit, and there was still a slight drizzle in the air, enough to make the mood very melancholy. It wasn't a full moon, but in one more night it would be. Every wolf from both sides of the pack was outside the den with hopeful looks on their faces, this was the time Hayley came out of the den, and joined him by his side. Neither of them sat down, and they were followed by Humphrey, Garth, Hutch, and a red-eyed Kate. Age stepped forward and was ready.

"Where's Winston?" A wolf from the gathering asked, everyone looked in anticipation of the answer.

Age didn't know how to respond to the question, Hayley nudged him and gave him a whisper in the ear. "All leaders are confident and strong, show them you are…show them what I already know." Hayley smiled and then a strong wind blew as he looked at her. With her fur blowing like this, she looked like the voice of reason. He nodded to her and stepped up to take Winston's place, at least for now.

"A leader…is chosen by the people he knows, and by the people who respect him. And once they are chosen, they have to prove themselves. Winston did this for all of you…" After that, all the listeners knew he was dead, but with pride and burden, Age continued, "He was great, and for reasons I can't understand, he's chosen me to take his place, at least until Joe is stopped. I know that every wolf here barely knows me, except for a few, but as I said, a leader is chosen by their people. So if you all want me to be the huntsman for now, say otherwise." No one moved, but Humphrey stepped in front of him and faced him.

"You're my cousin bro, and in the very short time I have known you, you've proven more worth to be a leader than anyone else I know. If Winston's last wish, besides for Kate to make him proud, was to ensure you take J-Dog down, then I can't think of a better wolf for the job. Me and my Alpha skills, are yours to command…sir…" Humphrey finished, and everyone gazed at him. And then Hutch came to,

"He's right sir…" And Age looked at him too. "Even when we went to hunt that New York trash, he got me, but he didn't kill me. That was because you directed him off of me, you put yourself in harm's way to protect a fellow wolf, that's what a true leader does." Hutch also agreed in the decision.

"Thanks guys…but I…" Age was cut off by Kate.

"Age…if there's one thing my dad taught me about leadership, is that it's never who's the strongest, the fastest, or the smartest. What makes a real leader, is their heart. How they think about everyone's well being, how they would take the blame all on themselves if something were to go wrong. These are all qualities I know you have, I've seen them."

Everyone in the current circle nodded their heads, they knew it was true too. Hayley circled around him and sat in the circle as well, she really didn't need to say anything, and Age knew it. With everyone's support, the time was finally here, this would be the day that Age finally breaks out of his shell.

"Alright, if what you all say is true, and that the leader is made not born, and it's in everybody's honest opinion, I'll assume this position just temporarily. Then, I would have no higher honor than serving as Jasper park's head Alpha until we find this threat and cut it down by any means. But before we do anything, I want to tell you all something. When I first arrived in Jasper, I was scared as a newborn pup. Terrified to do anything, shaking like a tree in the wind, Garth would know he was there and so was Humphrey. If had known what Joe was going to do then, I would've cut him down then and there, but I lost my chance, and now half the pack is dead, and that's my fault. But I promise you, I'll make up for it somehow. Before we go out to hunt him, because I already know he's set up traps for us, I want you all to think back to a time, a time when you were so scared you couldn't do anything. You were frozen, petrified even, but you had to move at some point. So what made you move? Something had to make you, what was that something? Ask yourself that."

They thought, and he could tell from the fire in all of their eyes, they had their reason, he was proud of them and he was sure Winston was too. Though he still wasn't sure where Eve and Tony were, he had they whole pack on his side, there was no way J-Dog could stand up to all of these wolves.

Far away in the deep forests of Jasper, J-Dog was pacing back and forth getting nothing but aggravation from his two prisoners. Eve was dangling from one of her back legs like Candu was, and Tony was tied down so tight to the ground he couldn't even move his head without something popping, his back being the worst. Eve kept yacking at him to stop moving and Tony kept ranting on about how he has to keep trying soon J-Dog got tired of this, and so he split into two wolves again, just to make them both shut up.

"You take the whiner, I'll handle limn and bent." **(Limn-to portray in words; describe)** J-Dog walked over to Tony while Blood stalked up to Eve. "What the hell are you doing?" J-Dog asked Tony as he found him bending his head back like a rotating rubber pole.

"I'm trying to itch my back, this disk I really couldn't care less about." J-Dog huffed and snorted out a lugi on Tony's nose. He walked away fed up with him and feeling no need to kill him, he was trying to save his energy. Thanks…! Now I can't get that off!" J-Dog breathed heavily and walked back to Blood, he looked as though he hadn't done anything. J-Dog was about to say something, but Blood stopped him.

"Don't bother going over there…" Both sighed and re-combined.

Back with Kate and Humphrey, she had returned to his father's side, the thought of him being gone was still new and frightening to her, but she had Humphrey, maybe that was going to be enough to see her to be okay. All her life, she'd learned practically everything she knew from her dad, and now she had to put all those skills to the test against a problem bigger than the rivalry between the two packs. All in all, she felt very lost without Winston. Humphrey came in and saw that she was still lapping over her father, but he was here to get her for the upcoming struggle.

"Kate…?" She turned around and saw him. "It's time to go, Age has assigned everyone a job, and were with him. I'm sorry, but you have to leave him."

"I know Humphrey…" She sighed as she got up and stole a last look at Winston's body.

As they walked out they saw Age directing the other wolves. "And lastly I want the nurturing Omegas and pups back in the dens, all able bodied Omegas and Alphas are coming with me, we stay together." Two Alphas ran off to give the order through and he turned to Kate and Humphrey. "Are you guys ready to go?" They nodded, "Alright, looks like the final battle is about to begin."

**He's right, the last battle is going to start. The original song for the story will be in the next chapter, can you guess who it'll be sung by? But the last fight may be soon, but the story is far from over. **


	16. Gone Too Far

**But yeah, I'll try to skip pleasantries because I know how much all of you want to read the story, if you even still are this by…but regardless, I just found out that "Better Than This" is my most popular story, so thanks so much for that. But I hope you all know that my main series is in the Happy Feet archives. **

Better Than This

Chapter 16

Gone Too Far

The Alphas were off, and every Omega and pup had taken refuge in their dens by the time Age finally gathered up and hustled every member of their team. He was constantly reminded how strong they all were, but their time was limited.

"We all set to head out?" Age asked. Everyone had turned into a squad team, and Age was sort of like their Skipper.

"We seem like we're ready to go, as soon as Hutch stops kibitzing with that Alpha over there." Humphrey pointed out to everyone and looked in their direction. Hutch was talking to an older wolf, and by the looks of him, very battle worn. Humphrey walked over to Hutch and tapped on his shoulder, "Hutch, it's time to go…"

"Oh sorry Humphrey I was just talking to my teacher from Alpha school when I was a pup, see?" Hutch introduced him to the elderly wolf he was talking to. "His name is Royce, he is responsible for the Alpha's Alpha everyone says I am today." Hutch gave and waved his pawed in front of Royce.

"Oh stop it Hutch, you're making me look bad." He gestured away to Hutch.

"Puh…nothing can make you look bad Royce!" Hutch snickered at a sudden thought he had, "Not even the Great Mujer fiasco three seasons ag…"

"Okay that's enough of that!" Royce suddenly stopped him, clearly trying to cover up something. After he shut Hutch up, he turned back to Humphrey. "You must be Humphrey; Hutch has told me much about you. You and your cousin…"

"Well gee, I had no idea Hutch had such a great trainer, perhaps you'd even be…"

"I want to come with you…"Royce stopped Humphrey, he wanted to go with them? Out into the forest where J-Dog, and possibly Blood were lurking around? "I'm old Humphrey, and believe me when I say, I want to die on my feet, not lying down in a den waiting for some whack-job of a wolf to come find me and take me out." Hutch looked at Humphrey, it seemed as though he had already been told. "I could even teach you a few things along the way. What do you say, may I go?" Royce was very polite, and it was his time anyway.

Humphrey nodded and the three walked back over to Hayley, Age, and Kate with him. At first, during the talk with Age to let Royce go, he was still determined to keep every wolf he could safe, but Royce made him notice that on his own, he was growing fast and he wouldn't be around for much longer anyway, he was one wolf that Age wasn't going to save.

"Alright, fine…he can come with us." After Age finally agreed, an Alpha ran up to him and whispered in his ear,

"All the Omegas and Pups have been moved to their dens, and the Alpha patrols are already roaming the woods."

"Good, my team and I are moving out now." The Alpha nodded after Age told him this, and he ran off. Age took a deep breath and huffed, and began to walk with his five companions. "Listen everyone…" He spoke to them as they entered the dark of the forest. "I got a feeling J-Dog has set up some kind of surprises for us in here, so if you heard even the slightest thing, take cover." Everyone nodded, and Royce spoke out.

"That's right, remember Age, sometimes even small signs can be the signal for real danger." Age turned to Royce as he said this, and he nodded his head, gratefully accepting the tip.

"Thanks Royce, seems like you're already becoming like a teacher to all of us."

"Well I was a professional Alpha trainer in my day, and that was one of the very first, most basic lessons I taught, the art of surveillance." Royce decreed.

A snicker and seal of approval escaped everyone's muzzle, and after that, they felt like they had been walking around for hours. The stayed together and nothing happened; J-Dog had been secretly following them the whole time though, he had split into Blood and sent Blood off to take care of the other patrols however he liked, while J-Dog tried to handle his little brother and the rest of his posse on his own. J-Dog knew very well how to cover up his scent from Age and Humphrey's trained noses, and he assumed that if they couldn't smell him, none of the other Alphas in the group could pick up his scent. It wasn't long after that they passed a rock cliff that was slanted, so much that it was going up at about a 45 degree angle, of course, it still had all the nasty crags and jagged stone sticking out of the sides.

This was seen as an opportunity for J-Dog to try and strike them. He silently moved his lightweight body to the top and calculated the stones and boulders to see which one would cause the most havoc if disturbed. After careful and quick study, J-Dog flicked a small pebble with his tail down onto a larger boulder and watched it roll across the surface and fall down into a crack, and after that the cliff side just rumbled. Down at the bottom, our group knew instantly that this was some sort of trick, and Humphrey was aggravated that he couldn't hear J-Dog moving around. They all saw the avalanche of rocks coming down their way and Age sprinted in front of them and leaped beside the rocks and hollered,

"Get out of the way! Side step…!" Humphrey climbed up a tree, Kate got behind a solid rock, and Hutch leapt over the rocks that came his way. Hayley however had no idea of what to do, Age saw her, and the rocks were closing in. "Hayley…!" Age screamed as he saw his lover about to get crushed.

This was the time for Royce, he wanted to go out on his feet. He ran away from his leaping spot near Hutch and knocked Hayley over onto the ground. She was stunned and when she saw who was standing over her, she just gasped. "Keep your head down!" Royce yelled at her over the noise of the approaching rocks. Hayley just covered her head as the two disappeared under the slide of falling earth. J-Dog watched the incident and growled knowing his brother's betrothed was safe; Royce on the other paw, J-Dog couldn't have given two damns about. He huffed and stalked down the side of the rock and watched the event unfold.

Everyone ran over to them and began to dig through the small stones and the larger rocks, but it was only until a whimper was heard that they knew Hayley was okay, but what about Royce? "Royce…" Hutch exhaled after he saw the ravaged body that had been covering Hayley, in the short time he had been with the group, Royce had given numerous lessons to everyone about hunting, prowling, stalking, and scent finding, and now he was in no condition to move on, Age grabbed Hayley scruff and pulled her up onto the rocks and then helped Humphrey and Kate pulled Royce out while Hutch looked over Hayley.

"She's a little shaken, and she's got a few bruises…but she'll be fine. No permanent damage. Now how's Royce?" Hutch said and then asked Kate specifically, after he turned to her, Royce was lying down on his side, and Kate just shook her head. Hutch, Age, and Humphrey leaned over Royce,

"Boys boys boys…there no need for this…" He said very weakly. "I knew I was going to go soon, and I did it on my feet like I had wanted."

"But Royce…" Hutch started, "You were like becoming part of the team, you even saved Hayley, and she's engaged to Age." Hutch whimpered, but Royce seemed satisfied with himself.

"Well them I'm glad I was here…" He said and laid his head down. Age leaned into him and whispered,

"You'll always be a real, true teacher to me Royce, even though you taught me so little, it was more than anyone has ever shown me. You are my teacher…"

"I'm proud to have taught you Age, use what I showed you to bring down that brother of yours!" Royce said and kept his head still.

"I will Sir…" Royce wasn't moving, "Let's go…" Age declared and reluctantly, they all moved out, leaving Royce to his fate, the fate he wanted.

There we're denials, but with the current circumstances, the odds we're against them, they we're forced to move on, and coupled with the occasional moans and groans from everyone, the instance was becoming no better. "I can't believe he's gone…just like that…" Hutch complained, the other four wolves wanted to tell him to stop, but they shared his sympathies. Everyone had really been grown on by Royce, he had taught them so much in such little time that having him taken away so fast was just another thing they were suddenly fighting for. It was shortly after they walked away, when J-Dog began to get aggravated, that he was through simply playing with them.

He tip toed for a while, but shortly after he chose to be outright, and by outright, he snuck up behind them and followed them around for a few second, and then Age called for a halt. "Wait…" He stopped everyone, "I smell…him…" Everyone got on their guard, and it was only a snicker from J-Dog behind them that alerted them to his presents.

"Glad to know you haven't lost your touch bro…"

Age, Kate, Humphrey, Hutch, and Hayley all didn't blink as they turned around to watch J-Dog split into himself and Blood, apparently he was feeling extremely cowardly, so much he had to call out his doppelganger to do his work for him. "You're such a coward!" Kate yelled at him, J-Dog and Blood both smiled in a deeply malicious way, and then they spoke at the same time.

"I know, now…which of you will fight me?" "I know, now…which of you will fight me?" No one stepped up, but Age naturally defended his friends by stepping past them and facing J-Dog head on.

"Face me Joe…" J-Dog nodded his head, and shushed Blood to go away. Blood ran off into the woods, but Age wasn't so kind to let his double get away so easily. He turned to everyone else, "Think you can take him?" Hutch was the one who was burning the hottest, he ran off after Blood first, and then Humphrey, then Kate, Age eyed Hayley, but she ran off too.

It was now, just the two brothers, alone in the woods, ready to fight one another. They started traditionally, just circling and growling at on another, but J-Dog pounced first. He soared through the air and tried to grab Age's throat, but Age rolled off to the side and leaped of a tree and aimed for J-Dog's back, he cut him, but only a little blood can up through his dense fur. J-Dog looked at the mild cut on his back and shot Age a look with wide eyes. "Very good…now let's see…" He said and charged him with bare teeth, Age ran back and they both leaped and cut each other's side with their fangs.

While that fight was happening, the others had chased Blood down to the section of the woods where Blood was keeping Eve and Tony prisoner. Hutch bolted and he came into the open space with wide eyes, and when Humphrey and Kate followed, "Mom…!" Kate yelled at Eve, and Blood by this point was the one who was circling around her, tickling her neck and chin with his tail. "Stop that you creep…!" Kate demanded and rushed in to fight Blood, knowing what she was getting into. Hutch ran in and so did Humphrey and they tried to surround Blood, but Blood leapt over their heads. After he landed, Humphrey ran at him and aimed for his paw, he managed to grab onto it, seeing as how Blood was a copy of J-Dog, Blood didn't have all the same abilities as J-Dog. Blood tried shaking Humphrey off, but Hutch jumped up onto this back and bit down as hard as he could. This was paralyzing Blood, but Kate came in and grabbed his throat, this was it, Blood was pretty much done for. Blood was quick, he was silent, but when it came to face up fighting, he was worthless, he was an assassin, nothing more. After everyone let go of Blood, he slowly disappeared into a dark cloud of smoke, and he was gone. Kate ran over to Eve and cut her loose.

"Oh thank you dear, I just wish I could've grabbed his throat with my jaws; I would've…"

"Not right now Ms. Eve…" Hayley stopped her as she just then came to in the open. Hutch got Tony out of his trap, and instantly tried taking charge of the situation.

"Okay, now that we have that guy taken care of, what about the other?" He asked, trying to ignore his aching back.

"Age is fighting J-Dog right now, and hopefully he's winning." Hayley whimpered, fearing for her love.

"Alright, Eve…you and I will check the more southern dens for safety, we'll be back as fast as possible." Eve snarled at him, but ran off with Tony nonetheless.

The four remaining wolves all looked at one another, "Well now what?" Hutch asked.

"I said we head back to the main canyon, if I know Age's fighting style, they won't stay in that one spot for long." Humphrey said, everyone nodded and ran off.

Back with Age and J-Dog, we're only mildly scrapped or cut, neither had dealt a serious blow. A ringing noise blew through J-Dog's ears, and a roaring inferno burst out of his eyes. "Your friends killed my double…" J-Dog was mad, once your doppelganger is killed, it's not coming back, "Now you'll pay…" As he said that, he was there, and then he was gone. Age was alone in the forest, no smell, no scent, no noise. Age then heard a deathly whisper in his ear, _Your girl will pay for this using her blood…_J-Dog was trying to get inside his head, _You wanna save her? Find me…_The whisper disappeared and Age frantically began sniffing around for J-Dog's scent, and this time, he wasn't holding back.

**Sorry if the thing with Royce felt so sudden, but you'll see why that made sense in the next two chapters. You'll also see why the story is called "Better Than This"**,** and my apologize for not using the song, it was an inappropriate time. I'll put it in the Moonlight Howl instead later. Also, the next two chapters are already typed, so they'll be up in a snap!**


	17. He Who Bleeds Others, Bleeds

**I think J-Dog has officially screwed himself. Going and killing one wolf by accident is one thing, but killing dozens on purpose is just plain insane. Gee, if he were a human he would have to go to Texas and be hit by a brick…what! That's what they do! Anyways, J-Dog is being pursued by Age, I mean, if your mass murdering brother targeted your soon to be mate, you'd probably go after his throat too!**

Better Than This

Chapter 17

He Who Bleeds Others, Bleeds

Age had locked firmly onto J-Dog's scent, a secret he'd picked up from his Alpha training before his teacher was killed in the avalanche. The smell was growing stronger, and he treated it as if it were a deer being hunted down for its flesh. No matter which way he looked at it, Age was out for blood, J-Dog's. It was a feeling that he didn't like, he thought, as he kept his nose close to the ground and repeatedly sniffed the forest floor, the pheromones he sensed growing stronger and stronger from the injury he had dealt to J-Dog earlier. Age still couldn't bring himself to believe that his own brother would go on a mass murdering rampage, and when all was said and done, he'd go after his own brother's soon to be mate. The nerve that was building up inside Age's body could be compared to when he finally asked Hayley to be his mate; it was a moment his nervousness would be compared to for the rest of his life.

"_Hayley, I love you, with my whole heart, soul, body, mind…and other important parts of me that can feel love." She giggled at his attempt to try and say his feelings; it was still entrancing to her. "And…I got this feeling that, when you feel this way about someone, no matter how long you've known them, that it is an omen of something."_

"_Oh Age, I feel exactly the same way. There just something about you that I feel I wouldn't be complete without." Hayley said, going up to Age and wrapping her paws around his back and burying her face into his side. _

"_I know Hayley, and I plan on fixing that right now." Hayley pulled away a little, and stared at him in confusion._

"_What do you mean?" Hayley asked._

"_I mean this…" he said and kissed her deeply, she returned the affection and once he finished he looked her right in the eyes and asked, "Hayley…will you…make me the happiest/luckiest wolf in Jasper…by…by becoming my mate?" _

_The look in her eyes was astonished, awe, excitement, shock, love, and other assorted positive emotions a girl should feel when they're proposed to. Hayley couldn't even pretend to think about it she wanted to say 'yes' so badly. "Of course Age, I'm yours, and I always will be. I love you." _

Age's nose still hadn't left the ground, just the memory of his proposal brought swear to his forehead and made him nervous. This however was entirely different; he was out to kill his brother before he could kill anyone else. Age didn't want to be the one to do this, but J-Dog was smart, very smart, Age was sure he could set up traps that could fool any number of Alphas. Only Age possessed the skills needed to first of all, reach J-Dog, and then take him down. In fact, just as the thought of J-Dog setting traps traveled through Age's mind, he hear a very faint snap of something overhead, and then felt a very small rumble coarse through the ground beneath him. He remembered what his mentor had told him,

"_Remember Age, sometimes even small signs can be the signal for real danger"_

He didn't have to think, he threw himself to the side, and a massive tree trunk came and smashed down where he was, after he noticed, there was a swarm of bees heading towards him. He guessed they were from the tree that had just fallen down. The crashing of the river nearby told Age which direction to go, he sprinted away from the bees as fast as he could and dove paws first into the water to hide. He thought it wouldn't be necessary to look above the water's surface to see if the bees were following him, so instead he just swam downstream until he couldn't hold his breath any longer. When he surfaced, he knew exactly where he was. He had found himself floating in a small stream that led to the main river passing through the east and west side of Jasper. He climbed out of the river and onto the western side, but he got out where he was, not in the big and obvious clearing that held the main river. He thought this would be a good hiding spot. While attempting to try and dry himself off in the cool night air, he stopped to notice a small foot-print indent in the mud near the river. Age could tell by the look that it wasn't J-Dog's, in fact; he actually couldn't tell whose it was. Worried for whoever it might be, he frantically inhaled all the different smells in the area, searching for his brother's. Finally, after he was starting to get a nose cramp, he picked up a small smell of his brother's foul smelling odor.

The scent came from an area past the trees, and through the clearing. Age was worried he was in Jasper's main canyon, to go there you had to pass all the dens where everyone went for safety. He dried himself as he ran, letting the water fall off as he moved his front and back feet back and forth. When he passed the first den in Jasper on the way to the canyon however, as he ran by his nose picked up the pheromones of something foul. Despite the fact that he was in a rush, he turned around and looked inside. His eyes have never forgotten what it is they saw, it was a mother, lying dead with her two puppies. Their blood was lining the walls and the floor, and on top of what was left of their corpses, was a pile of stones. Age guessed that his brother had rigged a trap to every den just like this, and the moment they entered for safety, boom, stones, dead. Fearing for everyone's lives now, Age absolutely hurled himself to look away and completely dashed for the canyon. Once he got to the rim, there was a stone pillar in the center where the altar used to be. On top of it was a wolf, _the_ wolf. Age's eyes almost lit on fire as he found out who it was and stormed down the side and coming up to the rock. As he climbed to the top, he saw that J-Dog hadn't moved, and once he got up, the ground all around the rock caught ablaze. Age didn't know how the fire below him started, or by what elaborate scheme J-Dog had done to accomplish that, but there was in fact to turning back now.

"Finally, it took you long enough." His brother said in a deeply malicious voice.

"You sick, insane, mass murdering…!"

"What? Mass murdering what?" J-Dog said as he turned around and faced his little brother. "I'm only doing what lesser wolves deserve. If you're not smart, you don't survive."

"Killing them is not the answer Joe! Just because they're not as smart as us!"

"Our family reigns as the smartest of all, our species is few, Age. If we live and take out the incompetent wolves who dare to even call themselves wolves, we can finally take everything that should belong to us. We deserve it, WE are the superior class!" J-Dog declared. Age growled and he and his bro began to circle one another. "But clearly, you're here for something else."

"I'm here for everyone in Jasper you've killed Joe, and for your blood. I do agree, I'm a superb wolf compared to these, but I'd never kill them for that reason." He said while snarling grossly at him. "I've been covering for you for too long over these years, and now it's time for you to pay! This is for every last single wolf you've killed…" He said and lunged at his brother, teeth gnashing and ready to kill.

J-Dog swiftly moved out of the way, and spun to give a counter attack. Age picked up his movement with his ears and could pin point where exactly behind him J-Dog was, as he heard his brother jump off the ground he did a barrel roll under him and landed behind him. J-Dog turned around and snarled at Age, clearly aggravated by their equality in battle. J-Dog stopped growling and return back to his smiling face.

"This is pointless Age. We're evenly matched, oh wait, no we're not." He said and kicked a stone off of the platform and when it hit the ground it caused and echo sound to boom through the canyon. A very loud rumble was then heard up ahead, and a blanket of stampeding caribou was circling around the stone pillar, creating an arena from which neither could escape. The fire was now dead because of the caribou running on it and putting it out, but the battle had officially begun. "Try to get away now, unless you feel like giving in?" He teased.

Age growled and lunged back at J-Dog and he moved out of the way and tried to bite Age's back foot. Age kicked his feet up, and whipped his faced with his tail. J-Dog was pushed back; stunned by the sting Age's tail had given his face. And then Age charged J-Dog and aimed for his chest with his claws. J-Dog did a flip over Age's head and landed behind him, then quickly swirled himself around and pounced on Age's back and bit down hard, trying to paralyze Age. The howl of pain Age let out could be heard by Humphrey, Kate, Hutch, and Hayley who were running back through Jasper. Kate stopped and listened.

"Is that Age?" She said with fear in her voice. But Hayley's heart stopped,

"This way, he needs help now!" She said and dashed off. Humphrey, Kate, Hutch ran after and they found Age trapped on a pillar in the canyon locked in a battle with J-Dog. Kate's jaw dropped open at the surrounding caribou.

"I've never seen so many, where did they all come from?" She asked aloud.

"Probably one of J's dirty tricks!" Humphrey accused. Hayley ran to the side of the canyon and looked down over the rapids of deer.

"Is there nothing we can do?!" She said frantically.

"I sorry Hayley, it's too dangerous to try and get to him right now, we'd get trampled for sure. We'll have to wait until there's no more caribou." Kate said and a sorry tone. Hayley looked back out over the deer and saw Age was still in J-Dog's jaws.

"AGE!" She screamed to him.

At the moment, Age was losing consciousness, but he heard Hayley's scream and he shot right back awake. "Hayley?" He said weakly, and then noticed her standing where she was with Kate and Humphrey at her sides. This reminded Age of what he was fighting for, so he found the strength to shake J-Dog off, much to the surprise of J-Dog.

As Age took a brief moment to recover from his wound, he noticed J-Dog was temporarily dazed, he guessed that when he threw him off, he had hit his head on the rock. With a gulp of air and effort he charged at him and knocked him over. Then he grabbed J-Dog's neck and bite down hard. After that, he held on and spun round and round, and then let go, sending J-Dog flying out into the raging storm of hooves. J-Dog had regained focus, and leapt from the back of one caribou to another until he almost tripped up and forced himself to jump for the rock, finding he was only hanging on by his two paws. Age then came and stood over his slipping brother and watched him struggled.

"Age, help me! Come on, I'm family, I'm the only superior like you!" He begged.

"Superior? A superior wolf wouldn't kill lesser wolves because he feels the world is a better place without them!" He smirked and watched J-Dog get back some of a grip on the rock. "Oh dear, Joey, seems you've gotten yourself into trouble again. Only this time, Mom and Dad aren't here to stop me." He said and grabbed one of his brother's paws with his jaws and bit down so hard he drew blood. J-Dog cried out horribly, and then gazed at Age with fear and disbelief.

"You wouldn't do this, you don't have the heart!" J-Dog declared, reminding Age of his shy and meekness. Think he had won, J-Dog smirked, but Age looked down and smiled himself. His mouth dripping with blood, and speaking in a much muffled way,

"Watch me…" He said, J-Dog's eyes widened, and Age let go. J-Dog screamed as he disappeared beneath the river of hooves, and Age heard a terrible series of crunching sounds. From the view Hayley had, she thought it was Age who had just been dropped in; she thought Age just couldn't do something like that. But when she took a closer look, she saw the blood stained fur on his back, showing her that it was Age who was victorious. Kate and Humphrey raced down to the side of the canyon as soon as the last of the caribou ran through the valley, and Hayley was close to follow. When they reached the stone in the center, Age had remained on top, the perimeter of it still scorched from where the fire had been, countless hoof printed in the dirt, and a maimed wolf carcass lying in the tracks of it all. Hayley looked up at Age, who she noticed develop tears in his eyes, and then jumped off the pillar and ran off leaving a trail of tears behind him. Humphrey and Kate hadn't seen this, they were busy seeing if J-Dog was truly dead, but Hayley raced after Age, hoping he wasn't feeling so guilty that he was about to do anything drastic.

Hutch watched this, "I'll go look for survivors, I think J really had it in for all of these wolves." Hutch then ran off while Kate and Humphrey started dragging J-Dog's body to the main den.

**Damn, that was so electrifying to write! I liked it, kind of seems like a mix between the Holocaust and The Lion King though. Oh well, I thought it works pretty well, enjoy, the lemon is coming up soon, so just watch out for that. Beware of conversation that will follow this.**


	18. Look at Me

**J-Dog may be in fatal condition, and Age is suffering from tremendous amounts of guilt, but sometimes there's a way for you to see what has happened from a whole different perspective. And this chase, it's not something, but better, someone. And do you wanna know why the story is called "Better Than This"?**

Better Than This

Chapter 18

Look at Me

The ground felt rough as Hayley raced across it trying to catch up to her love. It was a sense of anxiety that could've brought her to her knees right then and there, but with her love's life possibly on the line, she couldn't bring herself to stop. She sprinted up through the canyon where the caribou had come from, and even though she was an Omega, she knew a thing or two thanks to watching Age get trained to be a full Alpha. She knelt to the ground and sniffed, and quickly caught the scent she was looking for. Though without any training, she had little idea of what to do with the scent now that she had it; she couldn't tell what direction it was going, nor where it was coming from. But before she started panicking, a noise caught her ear. It was the sound of a whimper, a crying sound coming from the north of the section of trees. She began to hope it was Age, and ran towards the sound, and before she knew it, she was struggling through rough underbrush of mushrooms, dead leaves, and an uprooted root every here and there perfectly position for convenient tripping if one wasn't careful. Hayley was relieved after she got through, but there was a sturdy silence as she passed through the remaining branches. She noticed that there was a lone wolf, sitting near the edge of a cliff, its head down and not making a noise. Fearing that this was Age, and that he was about to jump, Hayley rushed to his side, and spoke to him.

"Age?" She said quietly, trying to make him notice she was there. All he did was turn his head and stare at her.

The look he had on his face was something she never wanted to see on his face. His eyes were beat red and blood-shot, the bottom of each one was lined with tears, and they dripped down to his cheeks and onto the ground. However, she was standing so close to him that when one of his tears fell off his cheek, it bounced onto her paws and then to the rock below. The touch of his tear on her fur could be compared to acid falling on her bare skin. Undesirable and unbearable in so many ways; that was the last straw for her, she could take watching him cry no longer.

"Age…this isn't what I…" She tried to say.

"What have I done Hayley?" He said and turned away, looking back over the side of the edge. "I only meant to stop him, I never meant to kill him. He was a…a murderer, but he was still my brother. If only there was a way I could go back in time, and stop myself from…from throwing him, I could've saved him. There was no reason he should've died, I don't care if he did kill dozens of wolves." Hayley listened intently, she was in agreement that Age shouldn't of killed him, but she was in disagreement that J-Dog didn't deserve to get punished for his actions, even if the punishment was death. "This…this isn't right. I'm an Alpha…I…know I'm…I know I'm better than this." He said and wiped his tears away.

"Age…he was a monster. I'm not gonna say he got what he deserved, but he _did _get what was coming to him. No one can just kill any number of the pack and get away with it. That just doesn't happen, not in this park." Hayley explained, and Age understood too, but he was feeling no better.

"I know Hayley; he was always the wrong wolf to be stuck with, and the worst part?" He asked her. "The worst part, is that I came with him. So now that he's gone, I'll probably get driven out of the park. And that means I'll never see this place again. No Kate, Humphrey, Lily, Garth…you." Age said to her and looked directly into her eyes. Hayley shook her head,

"No, once they find out you killed him yourself, they'll let you stay. And even if they don't…I'd go with you." Age's eyes lit up, but they were still full of tears. "Yes Age, I'd go with you anywhere, whether it'd be here, Alaska, or even Idaho. Wherever, and whenever…forever." Age smiled at Hayley. "I'm not about to let my future mate go running off after he saved my home from an evil threat."

"You would do that, for me? After all the destruction and death I brought to this park? You'd still run to the ends of the land, the sea, and the sky just to be by my side?"

"Age, when I first met you, there was a shock that coursed through my body. It was a feeling that said something, like 'Hey, there's something about this guy' and look where that took me." She said and put her paw on his and tucked her head under his and cuddled up with him. Age smiled and shed another tear, but this was a tear of joy, the best, most rich kind of all. As he fitted his head and cheek onto her head, and put his paw around her back and pulled her in, she also put her paw around his back and snuggled up into his chest. "I love you Age, no matter what you do, or where you go."

"I love you too Hayley, so much. And I promise, when the time comes, I'll do anything to prove it." She looked up at him and pulled out of their embrace.

"Kiss me…" She said to him.

He just grinned, the two leaned in, and their lips met. Hayley used her paw to rest it on the side of his face, and Age did the same, only he rested his paw on Hayley's that was on the ground. It was a moment in each of their lives that would carry them to their dying day, no matter what, they'd never forget it. Age was the one who pulled away first, and Hayley's eyes were closed and smiling she was. It was a full moon out, and from where they were sitting, the light shone brightly on her face. The image was permanently wedged into his brain, and once she opened her eyes it was replaced.

"Thank you Hayley, now I see why you're the one for me. I was lost, unsure of what I did; but in the darkest moments of my life, you came through and were the lights that guided me back. This is how I see you now, a guide, and a life all wrapped in one. Nothing…no one will ever be better than you."

"I stand by what you said Age, what we have…" She said and put her free paw on his heart, "Nothing is better than this." She held her other paw on his cheek and moved it back around his neck, and they pulled into another kiss.

(With Kate and Humphrey in the Alpha's den)

Eve and Tony had come back from their patrols, but Hutch was still out looking for alive wolves, whether he had found any was unknown, but Eve was back in the head examining J-Dog body, while Tony when back out.

"Well, what's the condition?" Kate asked Eve. Kate and Humphrey had dragged J-Dog's body back to the den to be examined and to see if it was truly lifeless. Eve had been looking over it for some time now, and still she found no signs of the wolf that lay before her to still be living.

"I'm not seeing anything, he must be dead. And if he's not, I'll do it the minute he wakes up." Eve growled at the ravaged corpse's face.

"Mom, lay off, if he is alive, he'll probably be the only one to get rid of all the traps he set. No one knows how he set them up except him, so only he can take them down." Kate explained to her Mom.

"Yeah, think of all the traps and danger that haven't even been set off yet. Provided they're even out there of course, we don't know for sure." Humphrey said aloud.

"What about Age? I'm sure with his keen senses he'd be able to find them! He'd probably even be able to disarm them." Garth said to the three. This made Humphrey noticed that he hadn't seen Age or Hayley since the end of the stampede.

"Speaking of Age, where is he?" Humphrey said.

"Right here cousin." Age announced walking into the den with Hayley by his side.

"Good to know you don't care about me." Hayley said joking around. Age shot her a sarcastic look.

"Hey, come on Hayley you know they care." He joked back to her. They both laughed, and then Age turned to Kate.

"Age, we're having a really hard time telling if he'd dead or not, so could you…" She gestured to go look over the body because she felt uncomfortable saying it.

"Kate, you can't make him do that! Especially not after…!" Hayley complained.

"It's okay Hayley, I can handle it, thanks to you." He said lovingly and licked her cheek. She blushed and let him walk over to the bloody mess in the corner of the den.

Age's eyes grew very big as he looked over the mass of flesh and blood, that couldn't even be identified as a wolf. "Oh…hohoho, well this isn't very pleasant now is it." Age said shaking his head. "But, I guess it's worth a check." He looked over the body and sniffed for something. "Well, he sure smells dead. But sometimes, smell isn't the answer." Hayley heard him say this and remembered how she found him using her hearing, not smelling. She then saw Age lean in with his ear, and then it twitched. Age got closer, and his ear twitched again. A small smile came to his face, and then he got right up again where his chest was, and his ear flicked, it was obviously picking up some kind of sound. Then Age pulled away and looked over his brother's body. "He's alive." He announced. Hayley and the others couldn't believe what they just heard.

"What, he's alive? How is that even possible?" Kate asked frantically.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I'd assume that he got stomped on a lost less than we thought. That and he's probably not as bad on the inside as he is on the outside." Age said as he continued to overlook the body.

"Well now what?" Humphrey asked. Eve looked at him and then to J-Dog,

"Simple sweetie, we tear his throat out, and finish him off." She said creeping up to the body, but Age stepped in her way, "Move aside honey, I just wanna make sure you don't recognize him when I'm done." She said and tried to push past him, but Age stood his ground.

"No Eve, there'll be no need for that." Age declared, and everyone looked at him like 'What?'. He noticed the confusion he just created, and then shed some light. "Do you see that?" Age said and pointed to a bloody lump on the side of J-Dog's head. "If he got hit there as hard as I think he did, he won't remember a thing. We'd be beating a dead caribou if we killed him. If he doesn't remember, than I say, we let him go." Age stated his claim, and everyone seemed confuse. But Garth spoke out first,

"Well, I guess if he forgets it all, then there'd be no point in punishing him, because he wouldn't know what he did wrong. So, I have to agree." Garth said to Eve, Humphrey, and Kate.

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned is that everyone deserves a second chance, I say let him go." Humphrey said and joined Age side. Kate then walked over and sat by Humphrey, showing she agreed. Hayley then walked over and sat next to Age, she was in accord too. Garth sighed, and then joined the four, shielding J-Dog's body from Eve. But her guard lowered, and she growled in frustration.

"Fine, but if he wakes up and does remember, I'm gonna…"

"I don't care Eve, keep it to yourself." Age snapped at her. No one had ever stood up to Eve like that before, so he got envious looks from everyone. She just snorted and laid down. Age and Hayley left to go sleep under the stars, Garth returned to Lily's side on the other side of the cave, and Kate and Humphrey stayed by J-Dog's side, just in case Eve got any ideas.

"Kate?" Humphrey whispered to her. She opened her eyes back up and looked at him.

"Yes Humphrey?"

"This whole thing has made me realize just how important family is. And I promise you, when we have a family of our own, I'll always be there." Humphrey announced in a quiet voice. Kate smiled, got up and laid down by his side.

"I know you will, a dad isn't any fun to be around if he's too serious." Kate joked, and then the two fell asleep together.

**Personally, I didn't wanna make him live, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. I don't care what you think, but if it really were my brother I wouldn't kill him off. There'll only be a few more chapters after this, and the next will just be him waking up, and then seeing if he's lost his memory. Not all that exciting, but hey, typing FanFiction isn't always. So that's why the story is called what it is, you like the hidden meaning? Anyway, updating for the next week will be a little tricky, but I'll try my best, later!**


	19. Not What He Would've Wanted

**I'd like to let you know that there is only one more chapter that's already typed. All the others are being written as I go, no more. So J-Dog is alive, Humphrey and Kate have decided they're ready to start a family, and Age has retreated to the open to fall asleep with his future mate Hayley under a starry night sky. What could possibly go wrong?**

Better Than This

Chapter 19

Not What He Would've Wanted

The night was still not yet over, it was still and moon was not yet full. Its quarter shape lit the sky with its pale light and all of it rained down upon Hutch during his search for surviving wolves. He thoroughly sniffed each and every den that he came across, but all of them shared the same fate; all of its inhabitants crushed beneath a pile of grave lite stone and small jagged rocks. Hutch exited what he thought was to be the twelfth den he found, and he gazed up at the moon, and he shed a single tear, but he wouldn't dare admit to himself why.

Back outside the lead den, Age was sleeping soundly, the first time in a long time. The last time he had slept this well was when he first met Hayley and he fainted after she said she'd go on a date with him. She was still the most important wolf in his life, despite the fact that he now lived around his cousin. Both Humphrey and Age still weren't sure how Winston came to the conclusion that they were cousins, but they just rolled with it, for both longed for a sense of family, a real family. They way Age saw it, this mess was his fault, and it was Humphrey's story.

Hutch came walking back, holding back the dam of tears behind his eyes, he was an Alpha, he thought himself to be above showing emotion. His walk showed how he was feeling inside, sort of a mix between a stagger and a limp. His face was kept straight as he arrived back at the Alpha den to see Age sleeping with Hayley outside on the ground. Not wanting to disturb them, Hutch tip-toed past them, but his efforts were pointless,

"I can hear you…" Age said as Hutch tried to sneak by them, his ears perking up and getting up from his position. "Any others…?" He asked hopefully, Hutch didn't want to put a damper on his mood, but the news wasn't going to be avoided.

"None that I found, this means that if the pack is still together, it's you, me, Hayley, Humphrey, Kate, Eve, Tony, Lily, and Garth. So…that's not much of a pack, now is it?"

The head of the peripheral had never fallen further down, like it was ready to finally fall off. The feeling of failure was still rushing through the encrusted fur on Age, and his attributes were about to collapse. "There's got to be more survivors…how many wolves were in this pack before J-Dog and I showed up?"

Hutch thought back to the night everyone was finally howling in unison, the first official night the packs were united. "I'd say about, thirty to thirty-four, I didn't know the exact number."

"And how many are officially declared dead?" The thinking began, the number was hard to recall, but the total couldn't have been more solid.

"Well, we know for a fact that Candu is dead, you've been wearing his blood like a suit…" Hutch commented on Age's fur, to which he got a very stern look from Age, "Anyway, one was killed to start, then there was the three, then the six we found by the river, then Candu, then Hayley's parents, then a squad of Alphas sent to kill Blood, and then Winston, and as of right now we have no indication of the total number of Alphas that remain. Blood might've not gotten to them because we did first. And there was also Royce, plus all the innocent Omegas and pups, so…for a gruesome total, I'd say about…thirty-three, not including our team, Hayley, Eve, Tony, Garth, and Lily."

"Thirty-three out of approximately thirty-four…dead?" Hutch nodded his head, "So then I failed…" Age said to himself, but the wind blew past his face, and his ear caught sound of something. "The sun is rising, and so is something else…" He said and ran past Hutch and into the den.

"The sun's not rising…!" Hutch said, but was instantly proved wrong, but his shadow slowly appearing on the ground beneath him, the moon was gone, and the sun came over the tree tops. "Oh…"

Back in the den, Age ran over to J-Dog's side, and startled Humphrey and Kate in the process. "Age…? What's going on?"

"Someone is waking up…" Age responded to his cousin. Below him, J-Dog was beginning to stir, and all eyes nearby were on him. Hutch came in, Kate walked over, Age just watched, and Humphrey looked over Age's shoulder as J-Dog's eyes, slowly, but gradually opened up. His pupil was seen moving around inside his eye, and anyone could see that he was confused.

"Age…?" Everyone heard him say, but no one saw his mouth move.

"Hey Joe…how are you feeling?"

"Like shit…what happened?"

"You got…" Age was trying to think of something, "Stepped on…by a…caribou." Age lied, but it was the best he could do.

"Who are these guys?" J-Dog asked around.

Age began to introduce them, "This is Humphrey, our cousin, his fiancée Kate, Hutch, a close friend, and over there sleeping you'll see Garth, Humphrey and Kate's brother-in-law, and his mate is in a coma, her name is Lily, she's the white one. Over there you'll see Eve, Kate's mom, and…"

"Me…" Hayley announced walking in, "I'm Hayley, _he's my _fiancé." She said nudging Age in the butt with hers, and then they nuzzled a little.

"You're engaged…? Since when…?" J-Dog asked in a dumbfounded tone.

"Long story bro…"

"Hey…" Hutch stopped the conversation because he caught wind of something coming to them. It sounded big, but he wasn't sure what to call it.

"What's up Hutch?" Humphrey asked,

"You hear that…?" He responded, and everyone except J-Dog started listening, Hayley got the most excited.

"I hear it, I hear it!" She jumped up and darted outside.

Age moved his muzzle underneath J-Dog's forearm and helped him up onto a supporting position, Age found it strange he didn't make any groans or 'ow' noises to signal that it hurt, but brushed the thought off because he was so overjoyed that he was awake. They all walked outside and looked out over the cliff side where the den was and saw Tony down in the canyon.

"Tony…!" Kate yelled down to him. "Did you find anyone?" She asked him, and he just smirked.

"Why don't you ask them?" He hollered back up and about a dozen wolves came out from the forest behind them, all of them looked exhausted.

"They're alive, they're alive!" Hutch exclaimed out at his fellow male and female Alphas.

The gang all sprinted down to the canyon base and everyone sat down where they were. No one was in the mood to go anywhere else, they were far too tired from their apparent seclusion.

"Where were they?" Kate asked Tony.

"Hiding in the cave behind the waterfall…"

"There's a cave behind the waterfall?" Age asked out-loud as he set his brother down and walked over to Tony and Kate, as they were leading the pack. Humphrey sat back with Hutch and slowly made their way down into the canyon. They too were ecstatic about the fighters being okay, but they really had still just woken up.

J-Dog sat alone, Hayley walked by him and he got a narrow eye and spotted her neck. It was fur covered and extremely exposed, like it wanted to be mangled. No one noticed J-Dog's sudden reaction to the urge to kill, everyone was still greeting the Alphas or talking to Tony. Age continued his kibitz with Tony while Hayley stayed back, not thinking it was her business.

"If all of these wolves are alive, then maybe there's more, I'm certain of it…"

They continued chattering, no one yet had took notice that J-Dog had gotten up from his sitting position and lowered his front half, readying to pounce. His fatal mistake was he turned his paw right before he jumped. Age's ear twitched at the dirt that shifted when he moved and turned around to see J-Dog ready to pounce, and it was a pounce to kill. His eyes widened, all his thoughts, all his emotions were channeled into the next thing he did, he didn't know what happened, he saw his brother move, and who his target was. J-Dog hadn't lost his memory, it was just another trick,

"HAYLEY…!" He screamed and jumped in unison with J-Dog. Age closed his eyes and hoped he could save her, J-Dog on the other paw felt his maw grab something thick and fuzzy and bit down at hard as he could, his tongue tasted blood and he heard something crack and snap, he knew who it was, and then he rolled and landed on his feet with his prize in his mouth.

Everyone gasped in horror once they saw what had happened, J-Dog looked around and saw they looks of anguish and laughed in a muffled manner. "He didn't lose his memory." Humphrey said out loud, unable to say anything else.

J-Dog was feeling satisfied with himself, he looked around to see if he could find Age, but he wasn't there, and after he saw Hayley standing there, ready to fall to pieces, his own eyes finally widened and he dropped the wolf out of his mouth and looked down. To his own horror, Age fell from his jaws, his neck broken and bleeding from eight different holes across both sides of his neck. J-Dog backed up, horrified at what had happened, he knew who he had aimed for, and his own brother wasn't the target. Never in his own sick and twisted mind would he ever kill his brother, not even after what had occurred the night before. He wanted to make him suffer, but not kill him. No, never…the thought never even crossed his mind. He began to breath heavily at the disaster that he just caused, no one moved except Hayley who walked up to Age's body and placed a paw on his neck, after she pulled it up, it was already soaked with Age's pure blood, blood that had been wasted. Hayley looked up to J-Dog and her eyes started to water, her mouth was sealed shut, too shocked and stunned to say anything. All Hayley did was crouch down onto Age's corpse and wrap her arm around his body and cuddled up in him like she had done when he was alive. The tears came, and the wolves turned to J-Dog,

"I…" He tried to say,

"Kill him…" Tony commanded, and everyone excitedly started to close in on him, but Hayley pulled her head up from her sobs, and put her paw out in front of them.

"No…" Everyone looked at her funny. "It's not what he would've wanted." She then turned her gaze to J-Dog and shook her head, her face never dried from the tears, and then looked down to Age.

Hayley: _I know there's something in the wake of your smile_

_I get a notion from the look in your eyes_

_You've built a love, but that love falls apart_

_Your little piece of heaven, turns to dark_

Everyone was quiet, even J-Dog; his mouth had fallen open, not only at the moral blow he dealt to his own brother, but he could believe someone else was singing/howling like Age had always done. The other wolves never heard anything like it, not even Kate or Humphrey.

_Listen to your heart, when he's calling for you_

_Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do_

_I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why_

_But listen to your heart, before you tell him…_

Hayley never looked away from Age's closed body as she sang, and she had a number of flashback, all of which made her cry even more.

"_Hi…again. Who are you?" She tried saying to him._

"_Uh…sorry miss, but you've…well, sort of…" Age couldn't think of anything to say. He was rendered speechless by the wolf. But in a quick action of mental reconstruction, he pulled his thoughts, and his nerves back together. "I'm sorry, my name is Age." He said and bowed his head forward like a gentleman. She took a liking to his sudden calmness, and answered him back._

"_Hi…Age. My name is Hayley, I'm an Omega."_

And then another,

"_I don't think I can do it Hayley. Does a wolf like you really deserve to be stuck with a wolf like me?" He asked her in a profound voice. She was relieved that she hadn't messed up, and then she answered him with words that spoke for her heart._

"_Age, you're right. I don't deserve to be stuck with a wolf like you." Age heard this and let his head fall, but she picked his head up and placed her paw on his cheek, and spoke right into his eyes, "I need to be with a wolf like you." She said right to him. They both simultaneously smiled._

"_I hope it's not too early for me to say this, but…" Age was interrupted by Hayley, in the sweetest way._

"_I love you too." She whispered. Age just smiled even bigger, and with her paw still resting on his cheek, they kissed, for the first time in both of their lives._

And another,

"_Hayley, I love you, with my whole heart, soul, body, mind…and other important parts of me that can feel love." She giggled at his attempt to try and say his feelings; it was still entrancing to her. "And…I got this feeling that, when you feel this way about someone, no matter how long you've known them, that it is an omen of something."_

"_Oh Age; I feel exactly the same way. There just something about you that I feel I wouldn't be complete without." Hayley said, going up to Age and wrapping her paws around his back and burying her face into his side. _

"_I know Hayley, and I plan on fixing that right now." Hayley pulled away a little, and stared at him in confusion._

"_What do you mean?" Hayley asked._

"_I mean this…" he said and kissed her deeply, she returned the affection and once he finished he looked her right in the eyes and asked, "Hayley…will you…make me the happiest/luckiest wolf in Jasper…by…by becoming my mate?" _

_The look in her eyes was astonished, awe, excitement, shock, love, and other assorted positive emotions a girl should feel when they're proposed to. Hayley couldn't even pretend to think about it she wanted to say 'yes' so badly. "Of course Age, I'm yours, and I always will be. I love you."_

And one more,

"_Age, when I first met you, there was a shock that coursed through my body. It was a feeling that said something, like 'Hey, there's something about this guy' and look where that took me." She said and put her paw on his and tucked her head under his and cuddled up with him. Age smiled and shed another tear, but this was a tear of joy, the best, most rich kind of all. As he fitted his head and cheek onto her head, and put his paw around her back and pulled her in, she also put her paw around his back and snuggled up into his chest. "I love you Age, no matter what you do, or where you go."_

"_I love you too Hayley, so much. And I promise, when the time comes, I'll do anything to prove it." She looked up at him and pulled out of their embrace. _

"_Kiss me…" She said to him._

_He just grinned, the two leaned in, and their lips met. Hayley used her paw to rest it on the side of his face, and Age did the same, only he rested his paw on Hayley's that was on the ground. It was a moment in each of their lives that would carry them to their dying day, no matter what, they'd never forget it. Age was the one who pulled away first, and Hayley's eyes were closed and smiling she was. It was a full moon out, and from where they were sitting, the light shone brightly on her face. The image was permanently wedged into his brain, and once she opened her eyes it was replaced. _

"_Thank you Hayley, now I see why you're the one for me. I was lost, unsure of what I did; but in the darkest moments of my life, you came through and were the lights that guided me back. This is how I see you now, a guide, and a life all wrapped in one. Nothing…no one will ever be better than you." _

"_I stand by what you said Age, what we have…" She said and put her free paw on his heart, "Nothing is better than this." She held her other paw on his cheek and moved it back around his neck, and they pulled into another kiss._

It was then that she finished, and shed one finally tear on Age's body,

_Goodbye…_

**The story isn't over…**


	20. From My Eyes

**I'll skip the pleasantries for your sakes, after all, you all are probably dying to see if Age is dead or not. But I'll let you do the math on this one, his throat was bitten down on, hard, eight bleeding holes, he's unconscious, his neck is broken and cracked, and I used the word 'corpse' to describe his body, what do you think?**

Better Than This

Chapter 20

From My Eyes

The ancestors were looking out for J-Dog on that day, following Hayley's song and the dragging of Age's body back to the head den, no one would lay a fang or claw on him. Maybe it was Hayley's word, or Age's will, or maybe those who remained were just forgiving, but no matter what, J-Dog was more than lucky to be alive. Garth, Hutch, and Tony had been asked to leave to go bring back bodies from dens and hiding spots, and Eve was requested to tend to the Alphas in the canyon, and to clean up the blood mess left from Age's neck wound. Inside the den, Kate and Humphrey had been left in charge of watching over Age, and more importantly J-Dog, no one trusted him at the moment. He hadn't said a word since the incident, and Hayley had been next to him the whole time, looking between her love's neck, and J-Dog's bloody maw.

"So…" J-Dog tried saying. But Kate growled at him and he instantly shut up.

"Kate…" Hayley spoke out, "Quit being so harsh, J-Dog realizes what he did wrong…"

"And yet he didn't have a problem killing innocent wolves and pups?!" Kate screamed at her, and then looked at him, "You're so lucky that Hayley's right about Age not wanting us to kill you, because if she wasn't, your neck, tail, and paws, would be on a stake and up your…"

"That's enough Kate…" Humphrey stopped her, looks like she got something from Eve other than her coat color. "No one wants to hear something like that from anyone except my Mother-in-law." Humphrey shook, _My gosh…my mother-in-law is a monster…_

"Sorry Humphrey, I hate being this way around anyone, especially you." She said and walked over to him and nuzzled his neck with a bright smile on her face.

"It's alright, you're just angry, we all are…" He said and rubbed her head and gave J-Dog a glare. "So…are you proud of yourself?" He directed towards him, but kept his distance.

"No…I'm more disappointed in myself than I've ever been. My entire puppyhood I wanted nothing more than to be better than Age at something. But I never truly wanted that thing to be killing, and killing him…oh gosh…I don't even wanna talk about it." J-Dog moaned and covered his head, but Hayley caught something in that rant.

"Wait…" Kate and Humphrey walked over to the two of them and sat down by them, since Hayley requested. She was holding on strong to the idea of Age making through this, but the evidence that he was dead wasn't playing in her favor. "You said you've always wanted to be better than Age at something. Why was that?" She asked him, his eyes drooped, and his ear folded back at the shame, but he answered nonetheless. With Kate, Humphrey, and Hayley all listening, he began.

"As a pup, since Age and I were born from the same litter…my…our…parents always favored him. He was such low work as a pup, he barely ate, he slept by himself, and when it came to making friends, he was always off talking to someone. But what we said before was true, we were born in the Central Park Zoo, and Age was really good friends with the other animals, especially the penguins. But he was still very shy, so shy that he could barely talk to anyone he didn't know. In fact, the two stories we shared with you all when we arrived…they were sort of…half true. His and mine, to find out the real facts, you've got to put the two halves together."

He said that and the three listeners tried doing as he said, but he could see no one making any progress. "I don't understand J-Dog…" Humphrey said after trying to think.

"I figured, most of Age's story is the truth. But the beginnings of mine are the facts as well. As soon as I noticed how our parents took a liking to Age over all the other pups, I started acting rashly, constantly getting angry and violent on my siblings. We were a group of five pups, myself, Age, our two sisters, and our oldest brother. My brother, Chandler, was the oldest, so he was the most responsible. Then my older sister was born, Lisa, and then I came out. After me, my Mother said Lagan, my little sister was born, and Age was the youngest; I was the middle child."

Hayley chinned into the explanation. "So Chandler was born first, then Lisa, and then you, then Lagan, and Age is the runt of the litter?"

"Yes he was, after our zoo keeper finally took notice of my bad behavior, my siblings were transferred to other zoos for protection purposes. They didn't transfer Age because they noticed how our parents always sheltered him. Our parents were both wolves, but whether they were pure wolves is unknown to me, I found out about Age and myself while we were in the Out of Africa Zoo in Arizona, USA. There was another wolf there who said he could smell our pure blood. But that's a story for another time, about 3 months into our lives without Chandler, Lisa, and Lagan, the zoo's budget was cut down, and one exhibit had to be removed. I don't know why, but they chose us. Age was supposed to be sent to an animal shelter in Maine, but our parents refused to let him go, and they attacked the zoo keepers. Our Mother was shot and killed in the process and our Father was taken to a Veterinary Hospital, I never saw him again after I watched that truck pull out of the zoo. Age watched the whole thing and was too scared to move, it was then that some horrible lady zoo keeper threw us into a crate and loaded us into a truck bound for Montana."

Kate got a sad expression on her face. "Your Mom is dead, and your Dad got treated because he was defending his child? What kind of humans are these?" She cried.

"The terrible kinds…" J-Dog continued, "But after we got to our new zoo, I did exactly the same thing, I made an issue left and right until we got moved. I was just trying to get us transferred back to New York, but eventually, I heard someone say 'oh ho…Alaska' and just like that we were on a train to some town called Nome. We broke off of the train and found all of you, but I guess all the problems I caused fed Blood and his malice, and it must've taken me over."

"So you want us to believe you weren't in control of your actions this whole time?" Humphrey snapped at him.

"No, no, not at all. I did have to…kill…a few things to get transferred so many times, and I did take a liking to it. But I'm a wolf…! It's in my nature to kill, and enjoying it is just the thrill of hunting right?" And the three nodded their heads. "Sure maybe I enjoyed it a little more than the next wolf, but we pure wolves have dangerous power, and Age could do something I couldn't…he could control it. My love to kill due to my wild side got loose and it must've manifested into Blood. Blood was sort like my conscience, and for the longest time I agreed that the world would be better if just us pure wolves survived. I guess actually seeing the effect of killing someone on Hayley's face after I bit Age shocked me back into reality. It's really an unspeakable act with no justification, it causes pain, not just to the one who's dead, but to those who knew them."

"That's right J-Dog, I'm glad you understand that now…" Hayley smiled at him.

"Yeah, a little too late. I had no idea that Age was secretly plotting to leave me for dead all those months, but I guess he should've, if he had, half your pack wouldn't be dead." J-Dog said to try and apologize,

"You said it yourself…" Kate began, "Killing has no justification, and is unspeakable, but if it truly was just a case of loose power, if Age can forgive you…so can we…" Kate smiled at him. J-Dog looked around and everyone was grinning.

"Thanks, but at the same time, I'm glad this happened. If I had succeeded here, I'd still be killing things trying to get back to New York, and who knows how much stronger Blood would've gotten. He was an assassin, but damn, he couldn't fight for his life. Looking at him when we were separated was sort like looking in a pond. It's you, but they're not what you want to be."

Just then Hutch, ran back in and saw everyone talking in a circle he walked over to Age's body and sniffed it. "Well…anything?" Hutch asked, Humphrey's eyebrows sank as he walked over to Hutch.

"Kate and I checked him over for a long time…there's no signs of life on him. In my best guess, he's gone." He said and turned to look at Age's corpse. But then an idea dawned on him, and he turned back to J-Dog, "Hey J-Dog…" He said and turned to him, as he, Kate, and Hayley hadn't heard his last remark. "What was that you were saying about pure wolves and loose power?"

"I said I'd tell you about that some other time…" J-Dog said confused, but Humphrey shook his head.

"No, I mean is there any way to use that power to…revive a pure wolf?" Hearing that, Hayley knew what he was getting at, and she walked over to Age and sat down by his head.

"Everyone get over here, I have an idea…" She said, and they all gathered over, Hayley then put on paw on Age's forehead and instructed everyone else to do the same. They all placed one paw somewhere on Age's body and then she looked at J-Dog, "Now what…there's gotta be something…"

J-Dog scanned all of their paws, Kate, Humphrey, Hayley, and Hutch, and then it sprang on him like a jumping spider. "Blood pact…Hayley, give me your paw, make it bleed." Hayley was reluctant to do it, as she wasn't sure what he was doing.

"What…?"

"Pure Blood wolves can make pacts with their blood and as long as one lives, so does the other, even if one dies."

"I'm not a pure one though, I can't make that pact." Hayley reminded him.

"I'll do it…" Humphrey spoke up. He bit down on his arm before anyone could say anything and drew blood from the mark and held it out to J-Dog.

"That'll work…" J-Dog said, somewhat surprised.

He then licked a few drops of the red liquid from Humphrey's arm and let them settle on his tongue, and then he used the blood on Age's neck to add to the mixture; he then licked Age's neck using the blood from both of their sources and sat back and waited. At first, nothing happened, and the mixed bloods just made a crimson streak across the holes in Age's neck. No one removed their paws from the corpse, and they all held on, but Hayley began to get teary eyes once more.

"That's it then…" She said, beginning to cry, "He's not coming back…" She whimpered quietly and bent down to his head and rubbed it with her own, doing her best to comfort him, wherever he was. A tear from her eyes streamed down her face and fell off her nose and fell onto the red streak covering his wounds on his destroyed neck and it dissolved instantly into the mixture. "No…no…no…" She fell and held her face against Age's.

"I don't get it, that should've worked…" J-Dog said as he began to get teary eyes himself, but as he was about to lift his paw up, he saw the liquid mix begin to move and bubble. "Wait…" He said and everyone stopped their sorrow and noticed the same thing he did. The fluid had started to flow into the holes, they had begun to cauterize and heal over. "Yes…yes…that's it of course! That's what we missed!" He then turned to Hayley and looked at her. And she was speechless that this was working, but she was still in shock.

"What…?"

"Hayley…you love him. Your tear, your influence. You love him and he loves you, without you around the pact would've been pointless." And everyone turned to her and smiled brighter than the morning sun, and then a huge blast of wind blew through the den and tossed them around, but they managed to stay on their feet. After the wind was gone, they heard a groan, and a flicker of eyes caught all of theirs.

"Guys…" It was the weakest thing they had ever heard, but he was talking, he was alive. "Guys…" he said a bit stronger, as his neck was perfectly healed and the growth was over, he then sat up. And turned to Hayley, making sure he wasn't in heaven. "Did we forget to plan the wedding?" He said with a smile, and she cried out loud with rapids of joyous tears stampeding down her face.

"Age…!" She screamed and tackled him to the ground and laid on top of him with their stomach making contact, but they didn't care. They both smiled so much they brought more tears into each other' s eyes and Age placed his paw around the back of her head and thrust her into the best kiss she had ever received from him. They stayed in that lock, ravishing the feeling of being in each other's arms again, and when it came time to pull away, another groan turned their attention.

"What…what's going on?" It was Lily, she had finally awoken out of her coma.

"Lily… !" Kate yelled and ran over and hugged her sister.

Hayley let Age get up and Tony walked in with Garth and they saw the whole scene. "Age…you're ali…" He was cut off by Garth rushing past him and grabbing Lily and hugging her.

"Oh my gosh Lily…I can't believe you're finally awake, I was worried you'd never wake up!" Lily returned the embrace, and looked into his eyes as soon as the hug was over.

"I'd wake for you any day…" She said to him. Tony smiled at his son's happiness with his mate, and turned to Age.

"You're alive…? That bite would've killed a bear…!" Tony told him, but Age just smirked.

"I'm just lucky I guess…now before this goes any further, I'd like to set up a triple wedding…" Everyone in the den heard this, and they all got super excited. Tony saw the looks on all their faces, and nodded his head.

"I'll get everyone ready, meet me down there in an hour. Get yourselves cleaned up, you've all had a rough week. You too J-Dog…" But as Tony turned to go, Age stopped him,

"His name…is Joe…" Tony turned to J-Dog, and the formerly blood-thirsty killer shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine, you too…Joe…" He said and the entire group prepped to go to the river. Age was about to walk out with Hayley, but Joe tapped his shoulder.

"Age…you're right." He said, and Age obtained a confused look on his face as did everyone else in the den. "This power…this blood…it doesn't make us superior…it doesn't make me superior. If anything, it makes me weaker. It's more of a curse than a blessing. These guys though…" He said and looked around to everyone else in the den, "They…they are Pure Wolves."

"A curse…?" And Joe nodded his head, "Well if it's a curse…own it; use it for the better, don't be afraid of it. That's probably why you can't control it, you have to embrace it and accept it. And I think you're right…" And Joe's ear twitched, "This blood…we probably would be stronger without it…" He concluded, "And I know…they are truly Pure Wolves…they're also Pure Friends." And got up and left to the river, and everyone followed to get cleaned up.

**Yes, Age was dead, but he's not anymore. So that's what really happened to J-Dog and Age before they arrived at Jasper. Sort of a sad story but it all worked out, shame on you for thinking I'd actually kill myself. Remember, Age is me inside this story, so if I kill him, I kill myself, not good for Joei. Anyway, only four chapters left in this story, and the lemons are coming up soon, so watch out, and thanks for following this story so far! Much appreciated! **


	21. The Fang, Claw, Spine, Heart, and Pride

**Only four chapters left to go! I'm excited as hell to finish this story! I've been working on it for so long! Ask anyone who's been following from Chapter 1! Anyway, judging from what had happened in the last chapter, you can probably guess what is going to occur here, but in case you can't, remember what Age said at the end of the last chapter, "I'd like to set up a triple wedding…"**

Better Than This

Chapter 21

The Fang, Claw, Spine, Heart, and Pride

The five members of the strike team headed down to the river to get cleaned up like they said they would, after such a long and hassling week no one deserved it more than them. Hutch was particularly shaken but he would've been fine, just so long as he cooled down. Hayley was extremely shaken, far more than Hutch was, after all she had almost lost Age, her dearest most true love in the world; she had come this close to officially losing him forever, she'd never let that happen again. Kate was thrilled it was finally all over, and now she could settle down with Humphrey in peace. Humphrey, in and of himself, was sort of nervous about the possible family that he and Kate were going to have the future, if only he knew that future was coming a lot closer than he thought. The leader of their team, Age, had yet to decide his feelings on the matter for he had almost lost his brother in the process, but at the same time his brother was nothing but a gigantic monster; though he was relieved beyond belief to be alive and back in Hayley's paws, after all he didn't like being dead very much, it was dark and lonely. Seeing as how Lily had just woken up out of her coma she was still little disoriented and couldn't walk straight, luckily she had her mate Garth beside her to help her walk perfectly fine. Joe was definitely rattled, he was still nervous that some random wolf out of nowhere was going to sneak up on him and cut him down for what he did, but those fears were rested aside every single time he remembered the seven wolves he was walking with five of which had been the ones responsible for taking him down in the first place, so if they wanted to kill him they would've done it by now. Once all eight wolves finally got down to the river, no one moved almost as if they were waiting for something, but naturally no one could stop Humphrey from walking up to the river turning to everybody and yelling,

"Cannonball…!" Following which he jumped right in without any hesitation and made a big splash and then he started to clean himself after making an entrance, which no one had a problem with.

After that, everyone hurled themselves into the river and splashed each other, regardless if it was their betrothed or not. The laughs were loud, and the noise was overpowering to even the smallest ears that could hear, but nobody cared, after the grueling, bloody week that these eight had, the best thing they could do was laugh. It didn't take long for everyone to get 'cleaned' as best they could. They were too busy playing around in the water that everyone except for Humphrey forgot to even scrub and clean.

Once on their way back to the dens, Lily leaned over to Garth and asked him a question, "Garth…I noticed that Age said a triple wedding…I know the first two are for himself and Kate, but what about the third?"

Garth seemed puzzled, but answered the best he could, "I'd assume since the first one is for Age and Hayley, and the second is for Kate and Humphrey, then I guess the third would be for you and me."

"But we're already mates!" Lily spoke up to her love.

"I know, but I guess we never had a real wedding." Garth reminded her, he was right, and Lily knew it.

They kept walking back, having small, yet loving conversations amongst themselves, minus Joe who was talking back and forward between Hayley and Age. Tony caught them at the edge to the canyon. Down in the canyon, they saw the big stone pillar Joe had placed there somehow wasn't moved, it looked like they were using it. Tony stopped them and said,

"Brides, go with Eve…" And he pointed to a waiting Eve in the mouth of the head den, "Grooms and bachelors, this way…" And he walked down into the canyon.

"Bye Age…see you soon…" Hayley said and gave him a lick on the cheek and walked off in the direction of the den, the other two girls did the same thing to their guys, and they parted way.

It was a natural custom in the packs to have wedding be held in the canyon, it was the same when Kate was going to marry Garth, and the same was going to happened when Kate had her real wedding with Humphrey, but she never expected it to be like this. Humphrey expected his wedding to be more calm, and not all of a sudden, but he really couldn't think about that right now, he loved Kate, and this wedding was a dream come true either way. Age was still very meek about love, even though he'd nearly fully experienced it, his shyness and passive nature was coming back to haunt him here in his moment of triumph, but he had to stay calm, his nerves were still building up even though the dangerous problems were over.

The preparations were made, the bridal talks were done, and Tony had given the boys the lectures about their wives coming first and how they should always be there, but they had already forgotten them, they were just too excited for the moment. The three girls walked down the cliff into the canyon with Eve leading them and they did a very proud and graceful walk down to them. Age and Humphrey had leapt up onto the big rock while Garth had stationed himself at the flat rock where he had stood with Kate a week earlier. After the girls got close enough to their guys, Kate jumped up to join Humphrey, Lily sat in front of Garth, and Age had jumped down, so Hayley could get on his back, and then he climbed up the side of the rock on his own and sat down on top next to his cousin. Tony turned around and looked at the little over a dozen packs members that remained, Joe and Hutch were sitting next to Tony in front of everyone, and began the marriages.

"Everyone here…has a right to be here. All of those who survived are tough wolves, and…" He looked over to Joe.

"The pain and death I caused really did bring out everyone's true colors, and the way I see, all of you who are alive, have the right to call yourselves…Pure Wolves!" The audience cheered, and then settled again. "I realize that may sound like I'm leaving out all the Omegas, pups, and Alphas who didn't make it…but that doesn't mean that they're any less of a wolf than all of you. But in opinion, the purest wolves of all…are the ones we're here to celebrate." Joe finished and turned back to Tony. Eve had been sitting near them too, but was too busy keeping an unnecessary eye on Joe to speak.

"That's right, the heroism that these five wolves have shown are going to be an inspiration for generations of pups to come, including their own. I say that, because today, we are joining them in marriage, and in that mate-ship we'll see just how lucky and strong they all really are." Tony said and pointed up to the tall rock, the wolves below stared and 'aww'ed at the two couples, and then Tony point to Garth and Lily on the ground next to them, more adorable noises came from the crowd, and Tony walked up to his son first. "Garth, you know how this works, don't make me say it for you."

Without hesitation from either of the two, Garth and Lily began the ritual. Garth accepted Lily's scent first, and then Lily took in his. Following that they gently nipped on each other's ears; Lily was still somewhat sleepy from her long coma, but was getting thrust awake faster than anything. After that, they pushed the sides of their muzzles up against the other's and gazed deep into their lover's eyes. _Her eyes…they're still so beautiful…_Garth thought as he pulled away. This was the part Lily was excited for the most. The leaned in and their noses touched, and a calamity of howling erupted from the audience.

"Garth…Lily…I now declare you two to be…" Their ears folded, "Mates…!" Lily ran into Garth and knocked him over and then hugged on the ground. Winston smiled as he walked away and shook his head in amusement. He walked down to the base of the tall rock and called up to Age and Hayley. "How about you guys next?" They both nodded in approval and did the same as Garth and Lily, but before they rubbed noses, Age stopped and got a twinkle in his eye.

"I want to do this a little different…" He said, the crowd got worried and silent, but Hayley thought she knew what he had meant.

"You mean like…"

"Yes…I sure do…" He said, after his quiet words, instead of rubbing noses, they kissed each other, just like they had done before. The howling could've broken someone's eardrum, but no one cared. The kiss was the one that made them mates, and it was the best one each of them had ever felt. "That was way better than rubbing noses…or at least I think so…" Age said, going from macho, back to his shy former self in an instant. Hayley got up under his chin like before and rubbed up into his next like when he had woken up from his unconscious state. Tony's ears went flat when he saw the cuddled, but turned his attention towards the last couple.

"Kate…Humphrey…" He called,

"We're already on it…!" Kate yelled back in a very playful manner, much like her Omega love. The same thing was done, and Humphrey's tail winched.

"Could we…?" He meekly asked and point to Age and Hayley, a sly grin slithered onto Kate's face, and they both giggled and kissed on the lips just like Age and Hayley had done.

That was it, all three couples, married and safe. They all got off of their respective altars and joined Hutch's side down on the normal ground and sat next to their new mates. Tony got a small tear in his left eye as he turned to look at the five, for Joe had returned to Tony's side, with Eve still watching him. Garth and Lily sat back, and just stayed together while they watched the final event. The five wolves who sat didn't know what was happening, but they knew it was going to be good, they just knew it.

Tony stood up, tall and proud as he concluded his speech, "As a final tribute to our brave warriors, I shall award them the highest possible honors in this newly found, and sizably smaller pack. Hutch…" He said and turned to the tough Alpha, Hutch got to his feet and showed respect, "For being a brave fighter, and for going into what most Alphas would run from, I proclaim you…The Claw of the Pack." His eyes glowed, and his ears got erect and his smile was seen.

"Kate…" he said to his new daughter-in-law, "For showing all of us that being an Alpha is more than strength and speed, and knowing when to conceal your strike and plan…I dub you…The Fang of the Pack!" More howls and he moved on,

"Humphrey…for being nothing less than a true hero, regardless of your former Omega status…you've showed us that you need to have emotions at all times, and using them is a great advantage…for this…I say you deserve to be…The Heart of the Pack!" Humphrey hooted himself and received a kiss from Kate.

"Hayley…" Tony continued, "Shy as can be…and yet probably has the toughest backbone of anyone. Your parents dead, and you had nothing left, but still you fought for what you believed in, and you never gave up…that kind of stubbornness, and will power…it's just gotta be…The Spine of the Pack!" Hayley twiddled her paws together, shy and excited for her new title.

"And Age…" The whole park was amped for him, "The troubles you brought with you when you arrived here, didn't stop you from working to stop them. You risked your life for a pack of wolves you barely even knew, and that takes a lot of guts and pride. Pride in yourself, and pride in your friends…" Tony said and pointed to the other four. Age looked down and smiled, Tony picked his head up. "So…it's only fitting that a true wolf like yourself be…The Pride of the Pack!"

The noise could be heard for miles as he finished and the five of them rejoiced over their new found glories and titles among the pack stat. Each one suddenly had a world of opportunity open to them and they didn't think of it as anything less. The pack rushed up to all of them and joined them in their glory, they had been so anxious to see the day when no one would be threatened anymore, and even though this wasn't a war, the day still couldn't have come any sooner. "We owe our lives to these five…" Tony yelled once more, and then turned to the five, "Is there anything we can do for you in return?" He asked them, and Age stepped up immediately.

"Sir…I ask that…I…I wish to be an Omega, so that I can really be with Hayley." He said and smiled to her, Tony just smirked, and Humphrey joined his cousin's side,

"I too wish to return to being an Omega, being an Alpha just isn't any fun." They were both in accord, and Tony nodded his head.

"Very well…behold our heroes…Alpha Hutch, The Claw…Alpha Kate, The Fang…Omega Humphrey, The Heart…Omega Hayley, The Spine…and Omega Age, The Pride…!" The pack bunched up again with everyone pushing and shoving, but the moment didn't cease.

Through all the noise and collaboration, Humphrey turned to his mate and tapped her on the shoulder, making her face him. Kate noticed he was smiling, this made her know that he was having an idea. "You know Kate…now that I think about it, tonight is the Moonlight Howl…isn't it?" Humphrey was right.

"Yes…it is isn't it? I think Age will enjoy his first Moonlight Howl, especially since he has a mate to share it with." Kate then turned and saw Age with Hayley by his side, accepting loads of salutations, and then she turned back to Humphrey, who she noticed was staring at them to, and then he look back to her. "And I do too…" Humphrey and Kate smiled, and nuzzled noses, more in love than ever before.

Over with Age and Hayley, the fact of tonight's events was finally dawning on Hayley, "Hey Age…" She said turning to him. "You know…tonight is that Moonlight Howl I told you about…and I…"

"I was told you can sing now…" Hayley's eyes widened, but she returned them to normal and nodded her head, "Then as soon as we're done, I want you to sing with me." She went to accept, but backed up to what he just said.

"Done…? Done with what?" He just smiled and nodded, followed by a small chuckle.

"You'll see…my mate…" The words rang supreme to her, and they were the best thing she'd ever heard.

(End of Flashback)

**Do you remember how sometime during the middle of the first chapter the story said…(Flashback to a week earlier)? That was the end of the flashback. Yep, this entire story was one huge flashback to everything that lead up to this. Age and Hayley are finally going to mate in the next chapter, which should be up sooner than this. After, Kate and Humphrey are going to mate, and then the Moonlight Howl, and this story will be finished. I hope you didn't forget!**


	22. Away From It

**Wow, that's just touching. Alright, well, in case you don't feel like reading this part, this is the love scene. Two more chapters shall follow, and nothing happens here besides a few touching words and the mating of Age and Hayley. So fair warning if you'd prefer just to skip the chapter. P.S. this is why this story is rated M. And this is a lemon for love, not pleasure.**

Better Than This

Chapter 22

Away From It

"I remember that Age." Hayley said. "It was all so frightening and wonderful at the same time." Hayley then stared up at the night sky that was filled with burning stars. A feeling like she was going to ascend to them and leave Jasper.

"I know, I'm still having a hard time believing it all actually happened to us. But I guess sometimes things happen for a reason." Age said looking down to the earth.

"And what would that reason be?" Hayley said wanting an answer, turning her gaze to Age.

"The reason, is that all of these events have given me the courage to give you what we both want. I am ready to give you…pups." Age said quietly to Hayley.

She completely lit up at his claim, and then jumped on him and licked and hugged him over and over again. Age was enjoying her affections and couldn't wait to return the favor. But there was a voice deep inside that was telling him this wasn't right, that it was too dangerous. But nonetheless, Age wasn't paying attention; there was an aura surrounding the two that could be said was vibrating with love and desire, so they waited no longer.

"I love you so much Hayley, and I just want you to know…" He pushed his lips up against hers, even though she was standing up over him, he managed to grab her neck, and gently pull her to the ground next to him, so that they were both on their sides, next to each other, sharing a kiss. **(About now is when you'd change chapters if you're not that kind of person.)**

Hayley grabbed Age's head and pulled him even closer, and forced him to open his mouth a little wider and let his tongue fall out a little in her maw. She took notice of this and flicked her own tongue against it, taking it into a swirling motion that both seem to enjoy. Age liked this touch of her tongue on his own, so he pulled himself up so that he was looming over her, and pushed even harder down on her lips. So much in fact, that she tilted her head to the side and opened her maw so that they could use their full mouths for the kiss, not just their lips. Age did the same and embraced her mouth with his own and continued to wrestle with her tongue between the two throats. Age had a sudden desire to try and shove his tongue down her throat, so he pushed his maw down even further so that the sides of their mouths were touching the others. With this he felt around the back area of her mouth with his tongue and once he found her throat he slowly moved it down in. He could tell it was making her gag just a little but the flailing of her tail behind him told him she liked hit. With his canine tongue going slowly further, Hayley grabbed Age head and pulled it down as far as it could physically go. The two were now in a full blown out kiss, and were swiftly running out of air. Age was the one who didn't want it to end the most, but the lack of oxygen was doing him no good, so he forced him himself off her face and gulped down a huge breath of air. Hayley let her head fall back on the ground and also starting vacuuming in air. She let her tongue fall out and rest on the side of her mouth; it just barely touched the ground. After Age's lungs weren't cramping anymore, he looked down to see Hayley gasping with ease and her eyes were closed softly.

"Wow…that's…what I…call…intense." Age said trying to return to a normal breathing rate.

"We…have to…do that…again some…time." Hayley said, opening her eyes and picking her head back up.

"Hayley, don't tell me you're worn out already? We haven't even done the important part yet." Age said turning his head to look at her with one eye, its eyebrow raised high.

"Don't insult me Age. I'm ready to mate with you, do it. I give you my permission to go to those, areas." Hayley said giving him a wink.

Age's wolfhood was already unsheathed and ready to use from the long and wet kiss they had, but he didn't noticed until now when he felt it touch her fur below him. Hayley just giggled at the tickle it gave her belly. "My, is someone ready to get started?" She teased.

"Hayley…I want this to go on as long as it can. It'd be no fun if it was over that fast." Age said smiling at her, and then he leaned down and kissed and licked her neck. She groaned and moved her head from side to side, giving him all the access he needed to cover her whole neck in his saliva. The more he licked, she discovered, the more she was becoming lustful. It was upsetting, because she didn't wanna become lustful. Hayley was about to mate with Age because she loved him, not because she was horny. So, as difficult as it seemed, she had to tell him some way. She moved her tail and brushed it up against his wolf hood. This made him stop licking and made him shiver and the teasing feeling it gave him. "Alright Hayley, I get it. If you want it right now that bad, then so be it. Your wish…" he leaned down his rear and lined up their areas, "Is my…command." He said to her, giving her one last kiss.

Hayley was on her back and Age's head was hanging over her, in case at any one point in time they wanted to kiss or lick. But this also meant Hayley's woman areas were wide open to see because her legs were spread. It was in this area that Age hung is rear, his wolfhood right in front of her womanhood. His legs were on the ground and were standing right behind Hayley's legs, which were in theory 'stuck' in the air. The suspense was killing them both, Age didn't want to hurt her, but he felt he was at the same time moving much to slow. So he rocked his hips forward a little bit to try and find her entrance, and he felt his tip touch her rim.

This feeling of just a simple contact made her quiver with delight, but the best was just ahead. She looked up at him one last time and smiled. Age was nervous as hell to move any further into her, but he knew this was what they wanted. After a last glance between the two lovers, he closed his eyes, and slowly, but gently pushed his wolfhood into her. Hayley was forced forward a little by the sudden movement of his hips being pushed up against the top part of her legs, but she didn't care. He was finally mating with her, Age was finally her mate. Age had a sensation unlike any other rushing through his wolfhood and up through his body. The timing was perfect for him, so he pushed deeper until he was fully inside her and he heard her exhale with satisfaction. Age's crotch was now touching Hayley's and his head was touching her neck, he felt he'd pushed in too far, but she was thinking otherwise.

"Oh Age, you've done it. That's it…we're finally mating now." She said breathing in and out, staring at him. Age froze in place at he watched her throat expand and decompress, showing she was breathing a little faster than she should've of, but he picked his head up and withdrew to where his wolfhood was just an inch or so inside her.

"This is just the beginning Hayley." He said to her as they returned to their original position with him over her head and their hips apart, but the only difference was that Age was in her now. "We still have so much ahead of us to go. I promise, this will be the best night of your life." He said as he pushed into her again, more quickly this time. Hayley exhaled faster and let her head fall to the dirt, but she said out loud, into too much pleasure to look at him,

"Age… it already is."

With that, Age was no longer scared, and humped her at a very steady pace. He moved in and out in a very peaceful way as no to hurt her by pushing too hard. His wolfhood felt as if it had grown larger inside of her, making it feel like it poked something inside that it wasn't supposed to. Hayley didn't seem to notice; instead she just gave him a simple request. Age had been humping her like this for only a few minute, and already she was ready for a little more.

"Deeper Age, go deeper." She said to him, still not being able to look at him directly.

"I don't know if I can, it feels so big already…" Age said closing his eyes at his own sense of pleasure.

"Then push harder, I need it. It's so good…" She begged him,

Age took to her requested and moved his legs closer to her butt, so that he'd have more to push with. His back paws had been placed under her tail and he shoved himself deeper into her. She squealed with ecstasy and how big he felt inside her. She looked up from her awe state, and saw that Age had his eyes closed extremely tightly and his head was raised to the night sky like he wanted to start howling. Then she looked down their bodies and watched Age hump her. She stared at his organ go in and out of her, believing that this must be some kind of dream. She couldn't take the strain anymore, and let her head return to the ground, but this time her eyes were locked on Age's shut eyes and gritted teeth like he was ready to finish. She, like Age, wanted this to last as long as it could, but the feeling that this was giving her was ethereal, and quite honestly, she couldn't take it anymore. She threw her upper body up and used her paws to grab Age's hips and helped him push him further inside of her. Age's eyes barely opened as he felt her paws grab his hind quarters, and he was awe struck.

"Hayley…what…are you…doing?" He said between gasps. The sensation this was giving him made it hard to do anything except hump her.

"It's…time Age. Get me…pregnant. I…can't…take it…anymore." She said moaning her head off and continued to force herself to help Age in and out of her womanhood.

This was it; everything they had been through was leading down to this. Age was sort of upset that this had to be over so soon, but they had a mutual understanding that they both wanted to climax. "Alright…Hayley…I can…take it …from…oh," he groan as a little of his seeds leaked out, "here. Let…me." Hayley let go of his hips and grabbed onto his shoulders and held on tight to them. This was the moment, they both looked right into each other's eyes and stared as Age began to accelerate his speed. Hayley never broke their gaze, but his violent increase in speed, and depth, caused her to moan and it was making her head rock back and forth. Age when faster and faster, until he found there was a trickle coming from deep within him. The climax was near and he was ready for it.

"Hayley…it's coming!" Age warned her.

"Give it…to me…" She said as she put one paw around his neck and held it there.

Age had utterly started ramming into her and forcing her to tear up a little, he was going inside so deep and so fast that the pleasure they both were experiencing was almost maximized. Age could stand it no longer; he locked on her eyes one last time, and then absolutely drove himself and his wolfhood onto and into her. Hayley shrieked at the sudden pain it caused her, but then she felt it. His cum was shooting into her, filling her with his pups, and making them both howl in unison. Their climax howling could be heard far away by many different creatures. Age held his pose as he continued to pump sperm into his mate's body. He knew he was tied to her now, but so long as he wasn't done cuming, he let the climax surge through both of their bodies. Hayley was hyper-ventilating at the sticky fluid flowing into her, and she let her own climax take place. The splash of the fluids made both of their crotches wet, they didn't like the feeling of it being so damp, but Age just fell to his side after he had emptied himself out into her womb. He was panting horribly, trying to catch any breath; Hayley was still holding on to his neck with her paw and was also gulping in tons of air.

"We did Hayley…we're…gonna be…parents…" Age said gasping.

"I know Age…it's done. Thank you…thank you…thank you." She said with a smile to him.

They both lay there, where they were taking in all the oxygen they needed until they could speak to one another again. Age was the first to get what he needed and Hayley was shortly after, they had a look that was way beyond love.

"I love you Age. I know we're gonna be fine, so don't you worry about a thing." Hayley said with a motherly smile.

"And I love you Hayley, so much than I can say. Do you think I'll be a good father?" Age asked his new mate.

"You're already a good enough mate for me, so far as I'm concerned, being a good father is just a bonus."

"Thank you Hayley…" Age noticed they were stuck together, "We might be this way for a little while, what do you wanna do?" Age asked her.

"Let do that tongue thing again." She said with a grin. Age just smiled and they locked maws and twirled their tongues around in each other's once more.

The new mates fell asleep shortly after their make-out session with Age still stuck inside of Hayley. Not that they cared of course, but they knew that many more nights like this were to come in the future. But none shall ever be as good as this, it was their first time together, and both had the best time. Age dreamed of puppies everywhere, boys, girls, and grandchildren. He was at peace, and he wasn't worried about Hayley dying from giving birth anymore. If love had guided them all the way here, to this night, this moment, where Age's sperm was searching for Hayley's eggs, then why would love not let her survive and allow her to help him raise their pups. Hayley didn't want to sound horny to Age, but secretly, she couldn't wait for their next time. All honestly, neither could Age.

**There you have it, the night did end with Hayley getting pregnant. So were back in the present and the next two chapters will be the last. The lemon with Humphrey and Kate is coming up next and after that is the finale! The finale howl will also feature this story's theme song, sung by…can you guess who?**

**1. Age and Hayley**

**2. Kate and Humphrey**

**3. Lily and Garth**

**4. Other**

**Just a little trivia for those who care: this chapter was originally going to be chapter seven as their date. But that was replaced by Toxic Emotions as a build up, and their date wound up being less intense.  
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	23. Consummation

**The long awaited mating of Kate and Humphrey for the story, as if Age and Hayley mating in the last chapter wasn't enough. I guess when it comes to love, no one ever cares! Remember, only one chapter after this and then the story will finally be finished! I can't remember when I started this, but I'll be happy to finish it, this is all because of you guys! Also remember, lemon for love, not pleasure.**

Better Than This

Chapter 23

Consummation

Humphrey bounded across the night shaded area with Kate, they weren't searching for Age and Hayley, they were headed home. The Moonlight Howl wasn't over, in fact it had only begun and the only real thing they'd done so far was say they'd be each other's forever. Humphrey was tingling with delight and anticipation, as everyone wolf in the pack knew that monogamy and consummation were traditions in Jasper. The idea of mating with Kate made Humphrey nervous, for he wanted their first time to be special, and yet he was excited as he was about to make love to his lifelong love. Kate always liked Humphrey, but she never really loved him until after she saw how she had missed it after their trip to Idaho. She wanted Humphrey all to herself, and she figured that, since the night was still young, the Howl wasn't over just yet, and Age was nowhere to be found with his new mate, the two would pass the time and get their marital tradition out of the way, this way they could show physical passion afterwards as many times as they wanted without the strain of making a good first impression.

They walked into their new cave den that Humphrey discovered, and Kate was still taken aback by the beauty and size of their new home. The best part was that it was out of the way of all the other dens, good for…well, you know. Kate took a deep breath and turned to Humphrey, he meekly grinned, for he knew what was coming, he just didn't know how to prepare for it. "It's okay Humphrey, why don't we just be direct this first time, and then we can have all the fun we want later? After all, the first time is the most stressful, and I wouldn't want you feeling…burdened."

"I know Kate…I agree. We'll just…get straight to it, and then…well, we'll…uh…" He felt shy about saying it.

Kate giggled at his face and then walked past him, brushing her tail under his chin, trying to seduce him into thinking he had nothing to worry about. Kate's body began producing hormones for the occasion, and once Humphrey caught wind of them, his tongue fell out of his mouth and his eyes did their own thing. It wasn't long before Kate's scent trail made Humphrey move towards her, to which she only walked back further into the cave, in case someone should come by, they'd be able to stop and hide. With enough light to see, Kate stopped moving and lifted up her tail to get it out of Humphrey's way, and then she just stood her ground and stood tall, standing completely straight and waiting for Humphrey to mount her. As Humphrey stopped walking as well and took in a deep whiff of her, he somehow snapped back into reality and saw that Kate had exposed herself to him. Only one thought broke Humphrey of his former trance.

_Not like this…I won't make love to Kate as a mindless, scent engulfed zombie. _It was clearly enough to work, as he regained his focus and picked his front half up and grabbed Kate's hips, reaching his paws around and making the tips of his paws touch her inner thighs. He adjusted himself to assure he had a good grip and felt his manhood throb, showing that it was ready, but Humphrey kept asking himself if he was. "Kate…?" And she turned her head back to face him without moving her body. "Are we doing this to have pups?" The thought puzzled Kate, she hadn't thought about that, but when mating, you either go all the way or not at all. She thought it over for a moment, and arrived at the perfect answer.

"We're doing this because we love each other Humphrey…whatever happens…happens…"

And she turned back around and faced away from him. That answer was enough for Humphrey, for she was right. When mating, impregnation is always a possibility, but the conception would only lead to a greater thing than the sensation itself, family. Satisfied, and confident, Humphrey moved his paws on the ground closer to Kate's back feet so he could close the space between them, and once he began to lean on her back, still gripping her hips and inner thighs, he slowly moved forward, feeling around for the correct entrance. It didn't take long for the proper place to be found, and the sensitive tip Humphrey possessed sent a shockwave through him as he made contact. But he knew if he backed out now their first time would be ruined, so he closed his eyes and slowly pushed himself into his lover. Kate's womanhood took all of Humphrey in, as he was a perfect size, and it caused a long moan to be released from Kate's lungs. Once all the way in, Humphrey opened his eyes and saw the reality of the position he was in, and it was more than he could ever ask for. He was here, in a cave on a very romantic night, about to continue mating with his love, Kate. Humphrey knew his first push didn't hurt Kate at all, so he pulled out a little and pushed back in, doing so again, and again, and again. He made sure to push all the way in every time as to maximize the pleasure they felt, but he remembered the purpose for why they were doing this. Yes, they loved one another and would have a family someday, but both of them just wanted their first time to be out of the way.

Humphrey's grip on her grew increasingly tighter with every push into her, and Kate felt like her hips were in a vice. She was tempted to tell Humphrey to loosen up a bit, but she figured he was as nervous as she was, which is why he was holding her so close. Understanding and accepting, Kate kept her mouth closed and moved her back legs slightly as to start a rocking motion, promoting Humphrey to speed up with his pushes. The signal wasn't subtle, Kate wanted him to go faster and bit harder, Humphrey understood that; so he stopped pushing in and out and took himself mostly out of her and repositioned himself even closer, and then shoved himself back in with more force and speed, repeating this motion over and over again. Kate let out a cry on the first shove, but it wasn't a cry of pain, more so surprise and delight than anything else. Kate shut her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth together, also tightening her paws on the ground until they looked like furry balls on the ground. The dirt had been dug up a little by her claws from curling up her paws so tight, but Kate was doing her best to center the pleasure into one area, the one area that matter.

Over the next few minutes, Humphrey began to grow tried, his legs were beginning to shake and his grip was fading on her hips. It was true he had become calmer and more relax from constantly putting his manhood in and out of her, but this task was more physically demanding than he thought it would be, and his Omega body wasn't trained for endurance. Kate felt his member begin to twitch, and his crotch area shutter, it was a sign that he was growing restless, but she couldn't figure out what was wrong. She looked back at Humphrey without moving her body like she had done before, though it was hard as all her energy was being focused on standing up with Humphrey leaning on her like this, and she noticed his eyes looked compacted shut, and he was panting with his tongue hanging out. She also noticed some sweat on his nose and forehead, the answer was then clear to Kate, her Humphrey was exhausted.

"Humphrey…?" And her voice made the gray wolf open his eyes and look at her. "You're pushing yourself too hard, if we need to stop, we can." Kate didn't want to trade a stratifying first mating session with Humphrey for the male she was mating with herself pulling a muscle or passing out from fatigue.

"No…" His answer stunned Kate, she actually expect him to accept her offer. "I have to do this, if not for you, for myself. I know I'm not trained for this, but I still must finish what I started, I can't let my lack of physical fitness ruin our first time." The small, yet also brief conversation acted almost as a motivator, for suddenly, Humphrey felt a surge of energy flow through his body, and he started thrusting harder and faster than before, causing pre-leakage from himself and his mate.

Kate was forced to return her head to the way it had been, and now she was the one who was having trouble standing up. Humphrey was forcing himself back and forth with such strength and power than she felt like she was about collapse, and sure enough, she felt her back legs starting to give out, and her muscles begged her to give them a rest. Her front legs were shaking violently, and Humphrey couldn't see as he was too determined to finish what he started. Not a moment after Kate's lungs gave way, her front half fell to the ground while her rear remained in the air, being completely held up by Humphrey, who had just about reached his end. With all of his final thrusts solid and strong, he pulled her rear closer to his and completely drilled into her one finally time and it felt like his manhood had split in two. Humphrey held firm as he felt his seed drain out of him and make his love's womb swell from too much, but he couldn't think about it, the feeling was too extraordinary, and he fell to his side, still holding Kate's rear, and his manhood still inside her. Kate on the other paw was almost screaming with the new sensation being pumped into her body from the one she loved. Her mate had set out to give her a good first time, and without a doubt it was. Kate had been pulled up against Humphrey chest so her back was resting up against him; and with his member still emptying all his reproductive fluid, Humphrey laid there, and pulled Kate up next to him and wrapped his fore limb around her chest and pulled her close. Kate gasped and pulled in all the air she could as her legs has been released from Humphrey's grip and muscles rested. It was the same for Humphrey.

"Best…first time…ever…you're ama…zing Humphrey…" Kate said in-between breaths.

Humphrey felt as though he'd accomplished something even Alphas had trouble doing, and it was another good feeling sweeping through him. "I'm glad you…enjoyed it…I guess that means…we're finished…for now anyway…"

"For now…"

And Kate and Humphrey snuggled back into the position they were in, only Kate flipped over and took Humphrey into her arms while he did the same. Pulling each other close, and nuzzling noses while waiting for Humphrey to be able to pull himself out, they knew the night still wasn't over yet, and they both still had a whole lot of howling left in them, they'd just need a while to recover, then they'd be out back at Howling Rock, howling with their friends and family and awaited to see what would happen inside Kate. They needn't to say they love one another, as they already knew, and both were out of breath. There'd be a time for that, but for the moment, all they did was wait.

**Only one chapter left…? Feels like only yesterday I started on this story, I'm going to miss it when it's all done and finalized. I guess all great things come to an end. I use a lot of euphemism if you didn't notice, that's because I like my lemons like I like my house, clean as possible but still satisfying and refreshing. Only the Moonlight Howl left, it's gonna be awesome! **


	24. Quicksilver

**Last chapter of this story…! Yeah and boo…I published the first chapter of this on 3/14/12, and this last chapter is being published on 12/22/12, wow…that's a long time. That's writing a story over the course of 9 months! This has been great doing this, and I look forward to writing my next chapter in the Longest Alpha and Omega Story. I do have a role in that. Anyway, here's the final…long await Moonlight Howl! Fun fact...did you know this story was originally going to be 9 chapters long? And now it's 24, how life likes to screw with you...  
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Better Than This

Final Chapter

Quicksilver

All four of the newly mated wolves began to head back to the Howling Rock at exactly the same time. Each of them was careful to clean up and remove the scent of their hormones and respective fluids from their bodies and personal areas, neither wanted awkward looks as they walked to the rock to howl their love for one another. Age and Hayley walked with skips in their steps, and neither of them was looking at one another. This wasn't because they had regretted what they had just done, but both were already so lost in thought with what they'd be doing once this was all resolved. Did she get pregnant after all? What would they name the pups? The basic run down of questions following an act such as mating. Humphrey and Kate, or the Heart and the Fang, had mutually the same feelings and emotions, only they were less worried about having pups and pregnancy because the only reason that they had mated was to get their first time over and done with. Kate also highly doubted that she got pregnant; after all, their mating was out of season, and the chances of conception when courting out of season were radically low, so low in fact that if it did happen, it almost became an annual holiday for the pack because of the rarity. Humphrey was more so just happy that it was done and out of the way, mainly because no one likes anything to be awkward or strange around that kind of thing.

The two couples began to take the same road towards the rock, and once the paths met and they saw each other, everyone was instantly frozen with shock and embarrassment. "Uh…" Humphrey started with, "Hi guys…off to do…" He realized what he just said, a terrible slip of the tongue, "To go…to the Moonlight Howl?"

Age and Hayley both noticed his little slip up, the indication being that he was thinking really hard on something else to say that. "Yes…we were. Is that where the two of you are going?" And they nodded, "Good, we can walk together then." Hayley was speaking clear, despite her still shaking back legs. Humphrey and Age joined each other's sides and chatted ahead while the two girls stayed behind. Girls have a sixth sense about these things, and both knew it from the look in the other's eyes.

"Did you…?" Kate asked, not being able to hide it.

"Yes…did you?" And Kate nodded to her question. "Well then…at least now we have something to talk about…!" And both of them laughed and walked together after their boys.

As the Pride and the Heart walked forward ahead of their girls, the two were walking in an uncomfortable silence that made both of them reflect on a single thought, like how a leaf breaks from a branch and fall into its destined spot in a small pool, causing ripples to appear and transcend. The sound of their paws patting on the earth beneath them was amplified by the maximum, their ears twitched, and their nerves were wreck. Both could feel it through the way they saw each other walking, and the tingle to talk about it burned. Soon enough, the overwhelming presence that their senses caused was just too much, and one of them split a little earlier than the other.

"Humphrey…" Age started, not being able to resist anymore. "I did something with Hayley that I really enjoyed, but there's this aura radiating off of you that tells me you did the same thing. I know we probably shouldn't talk about this, but do you think that we…"

"I get it cuz…" Humphrey stopped him. "Yes, it's true alright…? Kate and I had our first time a short while ago. However, it was only because we wanted our frits time together out of the way. I talked about it a lot with her and now we don't have to worry about it." It was a deep conversation, crude, and yet still humorous, neither wanted to mention it, and yet both had the urge to discuss it, they assumed it was a guy thing, being completely oblivious to their girls having the same conversation.

"Good to know then…I'm still trying my hardest to walk straight." Humphrey snickered at what his cousin just said. Age picked up on it right away. "Humphrey…! That's not funny…!" But Humphrey sprinted ahead to laughed in peace.

They all wound up meeting where the pathway just started heading up to the rock, and they saw that Lilly and Garth were already there howling together. Lilly showed a remarkable ability to recover and get back on her feet after being in a dormant state for so long. They smiled upon their sister and brother-in-law as everyone lined back up with their respective mates as Tony and Eve arrived to greet them. "Fang, Spine, Heart, Pride…" He said proudly of the four. "We are graced by your arrival at our small ceremony. I offer you the place at the very top of the peak, in honor of our thanks for your services against…"

"Me…!" And Joe pranced up behind them and brushed against Age. "Hi little bro…! You gonna do some singing tonight?" He asked them.

"Of course I am Joe…who do you think I am?" Age complimented himself. To which everyone had a hearty laugh. Eve stepped in front of Tony and looked at Age and Hayley.

"I think you guys should be at the top." They were graced by her request, but truth be told, they didn't want it.

"Thank you Eve…but where we are doesn't matter. As long as we're howling together…" Humphrey heard Hayley's remark, and he jumped right in.

"In that case…may we have the peak?" No one saw why not. Tony and Eve nodded their heads, and Kate shook her head playfully and followed a bounding Humphrey up the rock. Pride and Spine followed them, as well as Tony and Eve, but Joe remained on the bottom. He had no one to howl with, but he didn't care. That wasn't important to him, or at least so he thought. As he sat there, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around, his eyes locked a pretty, attractive young wolf, female of course, and she blinked once.

"Hi…you're Joe right? The former killer…?" And he nodded his head, "Well…I just wondering if…well…I know this is crazy but…my name is Cara…would you like to howl with me?" And he nodded his head vigorously like an idiot who was crazy in love. Cara giggled after putting her paw over her mouth, "Okay then, cool…I know a cute little spot on the rock where we can howl." And Joe slunk after her, what a sucker he was for Cara.

Humphrey and Kate had arrived at the peak during the conversation Joe had had, and Age and Hayley took their places right below them. Everyone was set, the night was quiet, and the wolves were waiting for their lead couple at the top to resume the choir of beauty and harmony, even though the pack was quite a bit smaller than it was. Humphrey pointed his head to the gibbous moon, and from his lungs and throat came magic. His angelic voice filled the ears of everyone who heard it with hope for the future, even his three friends, Mooch, Shakey, and Salty down on the lower levels. Even Hutch sat down on the ground and listened. Hutch was satisfied with all he had done, and now he was ready to live life like a real Alpha should. "Good job Humphrey…good job everyone…" Hutch said to himself and then turned around to go into the forest. He wasn't leaving forever, but he'd be back soon enough, after all, the pack still needed him. He would only be gone for a little while.

Kate joined it, adding her own heart stopping voice to the mix. The song stretched for miles, and made mockingbirds jealous. Age and Hayley listened, and as they, plus Joe, were the only wolves who figured out how to sing instead of howl, Age gave Hayley a wink, and following the ethereal melody provided by their friends up on high, they sang. **(With These Silver Eyes-Joei (Theme from 'Better Than This'))**

Age: _I'm blind to the winds of the night, that freeze every flower they touch_

Hayley: _I stared at the sun, now all I see is blue and yellow dots_

Both: _But for what it's worth, I met you regardless_

_Blood dripped down from his fangs, but we held on together_

_And that's the way I want it to be_

_So long as I'm here_

Age: _So long as I'm here_

Hayley: _So long as I'm here_

Both: _If I could go back in time, the only thing that I would change _

_Is to say what I was feeling sooner_

_Like an inertia, to the speed of light_

_Wasn't it you who said to me_

_A fire starts with a spark, a spark of two hearts_

_So with these silver eyes, I can see _

_All of you…_

The moment was it, it was the best that they'd get under the waning gibbous moon. The wolves on the rock were in awe of their skills to talk and howl, or as they called it, singing. Hayley had also learned how on her own after only one lesson from Age, that only showed her true prowess. Kate and Humphrey saw Age and Hayley nuzzle under the moonlight and both of them looked at each other. "I love you Kate…" Humphrey said to his lover, full hearted and welling up.

"And I love you too…Humphrey the Heart…" And the rubbed noses, and embraced; the night was still young, even though they had mated, howled, and now embraced, it was still long before anyone was going to bed. Humphrey was actually surprised that the mating he had undergone didn't work him out to the point where he couldn't howl, let alone have any strength to do anything whatsoever. Humphrey looked up at the moon, he then took a deep sniff of the night air, and it smelled alluring and misty. But his nose picked up something else, almost like a rugged smell. He then heard move in the brush down below them over the waterfall, his ear twitched as he pulled away from Kate to look down at where the noise came from. There was nothing, and Kate got worried. "Humphrey…? What is it…?"

"Nothing…" And Humphrey turned away.

Down in the brush, two sets of eyes stared up at the happening, and one of them decide it was time to conceal their voice and get out of range of the Pures up on the rock. "It seems we have more Pure Wolves here than I thought. We'll send a message out to the Alpha about this. For now, let's just make sure that _she_ does her job. She's our whole operation plan, without her, we would've been spotted already." The one wolf said, and raced off with the other one into the night.

"So we're not ready then? We're way more skilled than those Pures! We could take them right now!" The other one said.

"You underestimate them my comrade, but be patient, soon…soon we'll be strong enough to march on this pack, and finally take back what belongs to us." And off into the darkness, they vanished.

**I have never done a cliffhanger ending before have I? No, I don't think I ever have! Anyway, I don't have much to say, only that now I know I'm screwed because I want to focus all my time into my next story, but I have two others I need to finished first! Take it from me kids, I've been on this site for a full year now, and I made classic writer's mistake number 1! Never…under any circumstances…ever…EVER…write more than one story at once. Well, I'm out…! Have yourselves some good holidays since I know that time of year is coming up! Later, and…as Midnight Trekker would say…stay in touch everyone! **


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